In the early morning hours of June 17, 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace in a parking lot near 3800 E. Pikes Peak Ave. in Colorado Springs, Colorado. When the chaos subsided, 51-year-old Gwendolyn Watson, a female entrepreneur and mother, lay dead from fatal gunshot wounds. Witnesses at the scene described a suspect firing several shots before quickly fleeing, leaving behind a community in shock and a family grappling with a sudden, violent loss.
Gwendolyn, who was born in Bangkok, Thailand, was a well-known figure in her community, recognized for her creativity and passion in her various business ventures, which included work as an esthetician, photographer, event planner, and dessert designer.
The Colorado Springs Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the homicide. Within a day, detectives identified a suspect: 34-year-old Paris Toler-Anderson. At the time he was named, Toler-Anderson was not in custody, and police issued a call for information regarding his whereabouts. The investigation revealed that the shooting of Gwendolyn Watson was not an isolated act of violence for the suspect. Toler-Anderson was also linked to other serious crimes in the area, including bank robbery and kidnapping, painting a picture of a dangerous individual at the center of a string of violent offenses.
A fugitive hunt was initiated for Paris Toler-Anderson, which concluded when the United States Marshal Service apprehended him in San Antonio, Texas. Following his arrest, he was extradited back to Colorado to face a series of charges, including the murder of Gwendolyn Watson. In October of 2021, Toler-Anderson pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. His trial for the killing of Gwendolyn Watson was scheduled to begin in August 2022.
