In the late evening of Saturday, February 7, 2026, the life of 39-year-old Joshua Charles Herbert was tragically cut short in what has been marked as the first homicide of the year in Pueblo, Colorado. The fatal encounter unfolded at a Days Inn hotel located on North Elizabeth Street, where an argument escalated into deadly violence. Responding to a report of shots fired at approximately 6:30 p.m., Pueblo police officers discovered Herbert at the scene, where he was pronounced dead.
The
investigation into the shooting led to the swift arrest of 63-year-old James McKenna. According to police reports, the incident stemmed from a dispute between the two men. McKenna was taken into custody and is facing a charge of first-degree murder.
Details from the arrest papers provide a conflicting narrative of the moments preceding the fatal shot. McKenna reportedly told investigators that he heard an argument in the hotel hallway and left his room armed with a gun. He claimed that a man, later identified as Herbert, advanced toward him, prompting him to fire a single shot to the chest. McKenna also acknowledged to police that he and Herbert had been involved in an argument just minutes before the shooting. He is currently being held in connection with Herbert's death.
