A violent encounter on a rural Colorado highway in the summer of 2018 ended the life of 46-year-old Gustavo Del Sol Sanchez. The incident, which unfolded on July 22nd, was connected to the perilous world of black-market marijuana cultivation. That Sunday morning, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office was alerted to a homicide after a wounded individual arrived at a local hospital.
This person, whose identity was not publicly disclosed, had sustained a gunshot wound and informed hospital staff about the fatal shooting on Highway 94.
Deputies responding to the scene on Highway 94 discovered Gustavo Del Sol Sanchez deceased. The investigation quickly revealed that the shooting was linked to a robbery targeting an illegal marijuana grow operation. As law enforcement delved deeper into the violent events, their investigation led them to a second location, a home on South Peyton Highway and Loop Road. Information had surfaced that a group of armed men connected to the homicide was present at this address.
The arrival of the SWAT team at the second location escalated the already tense situation. At least one suspect opened fire on the deputies from an outbuilding on the property. The officers returned fire, and in the ensuing exchange, a suspect believed to be involved in the Highway 94 shooting that claimed Sanchez's life was killed. During the shootout, a 36-year-old deputy was injured by what was described as either shrapnel or a shotgun pellet but was expected to recover.
Authorities later confirmed that both the Highway 94 and Loop Road locations were known sites of illegal black-market marijuana grows and were part of a larger drug trafficking organization that had been under investigation for some time. While one suspect directly linked to the violence of that day was killed, officials did not release information regarding any other arrests made specifically for the murder of Gustavo Del Sol Sanchez. The investigation highlighted the violent underbelly of the illicit marijuana trade in the region.
