In the early morning hours of a Saturday in March 2016, the body of 46-year-old Jose Moran Cortez was discovered in west Denver. The male victim was found just after 6 a.m. in the 4800 block of Morrison Road. While the specific cause of his death was not immediately released, authorities quickly determined they were investigating a homicide.
The investigation into Cortez's death led police to identify a suspect.
Alonso Nunez-Cabrera, who was 32 years old at the time, was named as the individual wanted for first-degree murder in connection with the case. Police described Nunez-Cabrera as a Hispanic man, 5'7' tall and weighing 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Despite identifying a suspect, the motive for the killing remained unclear to the public. Details about the relationship between Cortez and Nunez-Cabrera, or what may have led to the fatal encounter, were not disclosed by law enforcement. An obituary for Jose Cortez confirmed his passing on March 12, 2016. Friends and co-workers remembered him as a beloved individual, with one colleague of seven years expressing great sorrow over his loss.
