On the night of August 8, 2023, Jason Perry, a 46-year-old White / Caucasian male, was working at a nightclub near South Federal Boulevard and Cedar Avenue in Denver, Colorado. Originally from San Diego, Perry was a man known for his outgoing and bold personality, often described as the life of the party. He made his living as a DJ, a passion that allowed him to entertain others, and he also occasionally worked as a security guard at the venues where he played music.
That Tuesday
evening, an altercation occurred inside the club involving an unruly customer. Fulfilling his security duties, Perry escorted the man out of the establishment. Just minutes later, in an act of senseless violence, the ejected patron returned and opened fire in the parking lot, fatally shooting Perry. The sudden and tragic death of the beloved DJ, who was simply doing his job, sent a shockwave of grief through his family and friends back in his hometown of San Diego and in the Denver community.
The Denver Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation. Investigators were able to quickly identify a suspect because of the nightclub's security protocol of photographing every patron and their driver's license upon entry. Despite knowing the identity of the alleged killer, Christopher Roel Hernandez, he remained at large, and the case grew cold. For more than a year and a half, Perry's loved ones waited in anguish, his mother expressing the family's deep frustration and heartbreak as they hoped for justice.
A significant breakthrough in the case finally came on Friday, February 7, 2025. More than 500 days after the shooting, Christopher Hernandez was taken into custody by the San Diego Sheriff's Office in California. The news of the arrest brought immense relief to Perry's family and friends. Hernandez now faces a charge of first-degree murder and is awaiting extradition from San Diego to Colorado to face the legal consequences of the night that silenced a cherished voice in the community.
