In the spring of 2021, a quiet apartment complex in eastern Colorado Springs became the scene of a grim discovery. On the morning of April 9th, at approximately 10:10 a.m., officers from the Colorado Springs Police Department were dispatched to the Birchwood Village Apartments located at 3615 East Uintah Street following a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they found a man inside one of the apartments who had sustained an apparent gunshot wound and was deceased.
The victim was
later identified as 41-year-old David Dawson of Colorado Springs. An autopsy was completed the following day by the El Paso County Coroner's Office, and while the official cause and manner of death were pending, the investigation was treated as a homicide. The death of Mr. Dawson marked the 7th homicide investigation in the city of Colorado Springs for that year.
Detectives from the Homicide/Assault Unit immediately began a thorough investigation, processing the scene for evidence and conducting multiple interviews. Their efforts quickly led to a breakthrough in the case. Based on the information gathered, investigators identified a suspect and sought an arrest warrant.
Just a few days later, an arrest was made in connection with David Dawson's death. Thirty-five-year-old Richard Dolan was taken into custody on a warrant for the charge of Murder in the First Degree. He was subsequently transported to and booked into the El Paso County Jail, where he remained in custody. While an arrest was made, the investigation continued to be active, with authorities encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
