In the small community of Weston, Colorado, a sense of peace was shattered on the evening of November 24, 2018. Inside a residence located in the 17000 block of County Road 18.6, a burst of violence forever altered the lives of those present. Nineteen-year-old Armando Gallegos, a male, was at his home with a woman when the unthinkable happened. Gunshots rang out, leaving both individuals wounded and fighting for their lives in the quiet of Las Animas County.
The aftermath of the shooting
was a frantic effort to save those injured. Emergency services arrived at the scene, and the gravely wounded Armando was quickly flown to a hospital in Colorado Springs for urgent medical care. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, his injuries proved to be too severe, and he tragically succumbed to them. The woman who was also shot was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were thankfully not considered life-threatening, though the emotional scars would undoubtedly remain.
In the wake of the homicide, the Las Animas County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, launched a thorough investigation. Their efforts soon led them to a crucial breakthrough. A traffic stop conducted in Las Animas County resulted in the detention of three individuals who were known to the victims. These three were identified as 20-year-old Oscar Botello-Serrano, Aleesha Duran, and John Michael Kindle.
The investigation swiftly moved forward, and on the Sunday following the shooting, the Las Animas County Sheriff's Office announced the charges against the three suspects. Oscar Botello-Serrano faced the most severe charges, including first-degree murder, assault, attempt to commit murder, and conspiracy. Aleesha Duran and John Michael Kindle were both charged with accessory to murder, marking a significant step towards bringing justice for Armando and his family. The arrests brought a small measure of solace to a community grappling with a senseless act of violence.
