In the early morning hours of October 6, 2019, the life of 52-year-old Cecilio “Roman” Ortiz, a Hispanic male, was tragically cut short in his Pueblo, Colorado, home. A disturbance had erupted between Ortiz and his 23-year-old son, Malachi Ortiz, leading to a fatal shooting. Cecilio, a beloved local pastor and barber, suffered gunshot wounds and, despite efforts by rescue personnel, succumbed to his injuries at the scene on Sherwood Lane.
The events unfolded after what was described
as a drunken argument. The victim's wife, Roseen Ortiz, was in the kitchen when she heard a pop. Rushing into the living room, she found her husband and son struggling over a firearm. She managed to wrestle the gun away from them, at which point her husband collapsed. According to Roseen, her son Malachi was heavily intoxicated and was not aware of what had happened until he sobered up later. She also reported difficulties in reaching emergency services, claiming her 911 calls went to voicemail multiple times before she finally connected with an operator. Police records later indicated that four of her five calls were disconnected before she spoke with a dispatcher on the fifth attempt.
Following the incident, police officers arrested Malachi Ortiz. He was taken into custody and booked into the Pueblo County Detention Center, facing a charge of second-degree murder for his father's death. In the aftermath, a grieving family was left to grapple with the tragedy. Malachi, through his mother, expressed deep remorse and asked for forgiveness from his family. His mother conveyed a message of forgiveness, stating she believes her husband would have wanted the same for their son. The community mourned the loss of Ortiz, who was remembered as a devoted family man, a 'giver,' and the pastor of the Lord's Vineyard Fellowship Church.
