In the late summer of 2018, the city of Denver was jolted by the discovery of a grim scene tucked away from the bustling city life. On the morning of August 9th, the bodies of three individuals were found behind a building on South Broadway. Among them was Christopher Zamudio, a 45-year-old male who, along with his companions, Nicole Boston, 28, and Jerome Coronado, 39, had been fatally shot.
The trio was known to be experiencing homelessness and had been camping together in the area.
The initial investigation by the Denver Police Department revealed that the victims had been shot sometime between the evening of August 8th and the following morning. The case was quickly classified as a triple homicide, prompting an intensive search for the person or persons responsible. The community, particularly those who knew the victims, was left in a state of shock and fear, as the brazenness of the act sent ripples of concern through the city.
Within a month of the tragic discovery, a significant breakthrough was made in the case. A suspect, identified as 38-year-old Maurice Butler, was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Investigators determined that the killings were not a random act of violence. It was revealed that Butler knew at least two of the victims and that the motive likely stemmed from a dispute over a drug debt. A crucial piece of evidence that placed Butler at the scene of the crime was data from a GPS ankle monitor he was wearing as a condition of his parole. The electronic trail, coupled with witness statements, painted a damning picture that led to his apprehension. Butler was already in custody on unrelated drug charges and a parole violation at the time he was charged with the murders.
