In the early morning hours of Saturday, September 21, 2019, the life of 17-year-old Diego Marquez was tragically cut short in Denver, Colorado. The young man was found with multiple gunshot wounds, his body discovered around 8:10 a.m. by a worker preparing a football field in Green Valley West Ranch Park, located near East 45th Avenue and Argonne Street.
Investigators determined that the fatal shooting had occurred much earlier that day, at approximately 1 a.m., when police had received a call about gunfire in the area but were unable to locate a victim at that time.
The investigation into the death of the male teenager was classified as a homicide. In the months that followed, Diego's family pleaded for answers and justice. His father, Jose Marquez, spoke of his son's love for sports and his many friends, but also recalled overhearing a heated conversation his son was involved in prior to his death and that Diego had expressed a desire to move. The family, along with an anonymous donor, contributed to a reward fund managed by Metro Denver Crime Stoppers in hopes of encouraging witnesses to come forward with information.
Four months after the tragic discovery, a breakthrough in the case came when the Denver Police Department announced the arrest of an unidentified juvenile male in connection with Diego's murder. The arrest was a direct result of an anonymous tip received through Metro Denver Crime Stoppers. Despite this significant development, authorities believed the arrested juvenile did not act alone and that there was at least one accomplice. The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement continues to seek the public's help in identifying and apprehending the second suspect. The reward for information leading to an additional arrest has been increased, fueled by the family's relentless pursuit of justice for Diego.
