In the winter of 2022, the life of Latasha Nichole Betterly-Byrd, a 34-year-old female deputy with the Denver Sheriff Department, was brought to a tragic and abrupt end. On the morning of January 31st, law enforcement officers from the Adams County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence in the 1300 block of West 67th Avenue, a community just north of Denver.
They were responding to a call about a deceased man found inside the home.
Upon their arrival, deputies discovered the body of an adult male who appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. As they continued to search the home, a second, more grim discovery was made. They found Deputy Betterly-Byrd, who had been shot multiple times. Investigators quickly determined the incident was an apparent murder-suicide, stemming from a domestic violence situation. Because the suspected perpetrator took his own life at the scene, no arrests were made in connection with her death. The identity of the male was not publicly released.
Latasha's death sent ripples of grief through her family and the law enforcement community she had recently joined. She was a promising new officer, having graduated as the valedictorian of her academy class in November 2021, just a few months prior to her death. She was assigned to the Downtown Detention Center and was remembered by her colleagues and superiors as an outstanding deputy. A procession was held on February 3, 2022, to honor her service and mourn her passing. Before her career in law enforcement, Betterly-Byrd had served her country as a U.S. Marine. Her life was characterized by a dedication to service, both in the military and her community.
