In the late hours of July 31, 2022, 27-year-old Ramon Castro Contreras, a Hispanic male, was at a car wash on Sheridan Boulevard in Lakewood, Colorado, when his life was abruptly cut short. As he was parked in a wash bay, a vehicle carrying multiple individuals pulled up. Three masked assailants exited their vehicle and approached Castro Contreras. Within seconds, as he attempted to drive away, they opened fire.
When Lakewood police officers arrived at the scene, they found Castro Contreras deceased in the driver's seat of his vehicle. The initial investigation suggested that the motive was a random carjacking. Authorities also believe the suspects may have been involved in robberies at a nearby bus stop shortly before the fatal shooting.
The investigation into the death of Ramon Castro Contreras involved a multi-agency effort, including the Lakewood, Denver, and Aurora Police Departments, as well as federal agencies. Their collaboration led to a breakthrough a few days after the incident when investigators located the vehicle associated with the shooting. This discovery resulted in the arrest of two suspects, an adult male and a juvenile. The subsequent investigation led to the apprehension of two more suspects in Denver's Green Valley Ranch neighborhood. In total, four male individuals were arrested in connection with the murder.
The four suspects were identified as Robert Solano, Keandre Mims, and two teenagers, one of whom was 15 years old at the time of the crime. Due to his age, the 15-year-old's case remained in juvenile court, and his name was not publicly released. Robert Solano was later convicted of second-degree murder and other charges, receiving a sentence of 46 years in prison. Another suspect, Johntae Guyton, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and also received a 46-year prison sentence. Keandre Mims pleaded not guilty, with his trial scheduled to take place. The swift series of arrests and the subsequent legal proceedings brought a measure of justice for the senseless act of violence that ended Ramon Castro Contreras's life.
