By Colorado Newsline
Over one-third of Colorado households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, with a heavier strain on the state’s renters, according to a statewide housing needs assessment released Monday.
Nearly 34% of households were cost-burdened under that definition as of July 1 this year, including 49% of renters and 25% of homeowners. The lower the income level, the higher the share of cost-burdened households. Colorado tends to have a higher share of cost-burdened households than other states, according to separate research from Harvard.
The State Demography Office released its first statewide housing assessment as part of a requirement under 2024 legislation to analyze current housing stock and estimate statewide needs for the next 10 years.
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A man suspected of being the 40th Avenue Halloween mask killer has been arrested, Denver police announced Monday.
They identified the suspect as Deontre Yorks, 23. The slaying occurred in the early hours of Halloween in a parking lot in the 3200-block of East 40th. The victim, a man age 46, was pronounced at hospital.
"Investigators processed the scene and collected several pieces of evidence, including shell casings, a Halloween mask worn by the suspect, and surveillance video," police said.
"Through extensive investigative efforts by DPD’s Homicide Unit, crime analysts and the Denver Crime Lab, investigators identified Deontre Yorks as the suspect," police said.
"At this stage of the investigation, it appears Yorks and the victim were involved in an altercation that escalated to Yorks allegedly shooting the victim," police said. "The victim then fired back at Yorks, striking Yorks in the shoulder."
Yorks, who sought treatment at a hospital, was arrested on Nov. 6 in Colorado Springs and is being held for investigation of first-degree murder, police said.
Daniel Ramirez Ayala, 21, was sentenced to 42 years in prison for murdering a man at a birthday party in Adams County, prosecutors announced Monday.
Ayala drew a 10mm Glock handgun after an argument and fired multiple rounds striking Jose Dominguez Moranchel, 31, at a home near 77th Avenue and Gilpin Street on June 1, 2025.
Ayala fled but was captured on I-25 later in the day, according to prosecutors.
"Despite extensive efforts, Lisa's remains were never found, and the case eventually went cold," prosecutors said.
"On November 15, 2024, the Aurora Police Department reopened the investigation, bringing renewed attention to the case," prosecutors said. "Detectives conducted additional interviews, reviewed historical digital evidence and pursued new investigative leads, including speaking with witnesses who had not previously been interviewed.
"The renewed investigation ultimately led prosecutors to pursue a murder charge against Shane Dorsey," prosecutors said. "After seven days of testimony and evidence, a jury found Dorsey guilty of Second-Degree Murder."
[Photos: Arapahoe County Sheriff, X]
Police identified the slain agent as Nicholas Graham, 33, a six-year veteran. The dead gunman was as identified as Gabriel Steven Garcia, 34, who was released from prison in September and absconded parole, according to sources.
"Police responded to a call of a suspicious person near the intersection," Lakewood police officials said. "A suspect from an earlier hit and run incident was spotted boarding an RTD bus heading northbound.
"Lakewood agents came in contact with the suspect on the bus, when the suspect began firing at agents," the officials said. "Lakewood agents fired back, killing the suspect."
The bus was running on the RTD 76 line, which links Lakewood Commons to Olde Town Arvada along Wadsworth Boulevard, when the shooting broke out at 6:30 p.m.
Police "hopped on and then shots instantly started ringing from there,” a motorist stopped in traffic next to the bus told 9 News. "I instantly just saw shots firing and I ducked down."
A Colorado National Guard Chinook helicopter laden with food relief landed at Navaho State Park in flood-stricken southwest Colorado.
Members of the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office, personnel from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Good Samaritans were there to help support Wednesday's military mission.
Make that order to go!
[Photos: Colorado Parks and Wildlife]
Democrats are poised to hold supermajorities in both chambers of the Colorado Legislature after Tuesday's election. Democrats expect to have a 24-11 majority in the Senate and a 49-16 majority in the House, according to Colorado Newsline.
A fugitive was shot and wounded Wednesday after opening fire on Colorado Springs police officers and El Paso County deputies.
The suspect was known to be "armed and dangerous," police said.
No one else was wounded during Wednesday afternoon's violent incident at the Aviator apartments at 1670 North Murray Boulevard in Colorado Springs - but a patrol car was damaged by gunfire.
"Officers followed the suspect vehicle into the parking lot," police said. "As officers attempted to make contact with the occupants of the vehicle, they announced themselves as police.
"The wanted suspect fired at least one shot from the passenger seat of the vehicle, striking one of the police vehicles in the windshield," police said. "Officers and at least one deputy returned fire, striking the suspect."
He was reported to be in serious condition at hospital.
Their missing persons case is.
Today's Rocky Ford police chief, Matthew Wallace, said he keeps the Sanchez-Mestas file close to his desk at police headquarters and collaborates with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on the 1982 mystery.
Media reports from almost a decade said investigators had developed a fresh lead. Nothing more was said.
In a telephone interview this week with the Daily Sketch, Wallace declined to discuss specifics of that 2017 discovery or evidence developed since then.
"We're still working this case," the chief said.
Rocky Ford is located in Otero County in the Arkansas Valley where U.S. Highway 50 intersects with Colorado 71.
The teens were last seen on foot at the high school.
According to CBI, Sanchez "suffered from a broken elbow and has a surgical scar on her left arm which runs from the wrist to the inside of her elbow" while Mestas had a heart-shaped birthmark on her buttocks.
If you have information, contact the Rocky Ford Police Department (719) 254-3344
[Photos: CBI]
A man initially stopped for jaywalking on Highway 85 in Evans was arrested Tuesday on a more serious criminal charge - meth possession. Police said the man - a resident of Greeley - attempted to flee after an officer learned of an active warrant for his arrest. The meth, estimated at 3.5 ounces or so, was discovered after he was frisked. As of Wednesday, the suspect faced new charges of drug possession and distribution, resisting arrest ... and jaywalking. A woman accompanying the man was released without charge, not even jaywalking.
Police arrested a suspect early Wednesday on charges of attempted first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and unlawful discharge of a firearm in the Weld County town of Ault, officials said. 911 callers reported hearing gunshots in the 400-block of Graefe Avenue at about 1:40 a.m. "Officers from the Ault Police Department and Eaton Police Department responded to the scene and quickly located and apprehended a 53-year-old male suspect who was still in possession of a firearm," officials said. The suspect was booked into the Weld County Jail. Residents who believe they may have video footage are asked to contact the Ault Police Department (970) 834-1336.
Climbers Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20,
subjects of a dramatic search, plunged to their deaths at West Apostle Mountain
in Chaffee County due to a "catastrophic" equipment failure, the
sheriff and coroner announced Tuesday.
"The autopsy showed that the cause
of both their deaths was multiple blunt force injuries and their deaths were
instant," an official statement said.
Their bodies were recovered Oct. 29 a mountain basin. They had been missing for several days.
An investigation by the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office showed:
“Jackson was beginning to rappel from a
primary anchor point on a rock substrate. That anchor appears to have been
backed up by a piton and a secondary anchor made of rock substrate. Kaden was
attached via his personal anchor device to the same anchor points as well as
the primary anchor point. The anchor had a catastrophic failure of unknown
cause.
"Both then fell a substantial distance (exact distance unknown). It is
unknown if the heavy snowstorm had a negative impact leading to the incident,
but it did not play a direct contributing factor in their death.”
The men attended the Leadville campus of Colorado Mountain College.
