Franklin Bruner Jr. was an independent contractor who loved helping people, cookouts, and riding his motorcycle. A member of the Black Sheep Bicycle Club in Pueblo, Colorado, the 46-year-old White man also enjoyed surfing, boating, and building things. He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and is survived by his mother and sister. According to his family, he was trying to help a longtime friend get sober in the summer of 2023.
On the night of July 29, 2023, police in Pueblo responded to
Bruner’s home on Berkley Avenue. Officers had received reports of a shooting, as well as a call from a man who said his son had admitted to shooting a friend. Inside the home, police found Bruner and his dog, Champ, both suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Bruner was pronounced dead at the scene. Veterinarians determined Champ’s injuries were too severe to treat, and he was humanely euthanized.
Within hours, authorities in New Mexico located the suspect, 43-year-old Robert James Rudichar. Early on July 30, Rudichar drove up to a traffic stop in Las Vegas, New Mexico, that was unrelated to him. After asking officers if he was in Las Vegas, he pointed an AK-47 style rifle out of his truck window and fired at them. He drove a short distance, firing more shots, before he stopped, got out of his vehicle, and surrendered.
Rudichar was first prosecuted in New Mexico, where he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a peace officer and was sentenced to prison. Meanwhile, authorities in Colorado issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of first-degree murder and cruelty to animals in connection with the deaths of Franklin Bruner and his dog.
In December 2025, Robert Rudichar pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree murder for Bruner's death. A judge sentenced him to 40 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. The sentence is to be served after he completes his prison term in New Mexico and will be followed by five years of mandatory parole. “While no legal outcome can ever undo the harm caused or bring back a loved one, this plea ensures accountability and spares Mr. Bruner’s family the additional trauma of a lengthy trial,” District Attorney Kala Beauvais said in a statement.
