In the early evening of January 14, 2018, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet of a Denver neighborhood, leaving 29-year-old Jeramy Montano, a Hispanic male, with fatal injuries. Montano was a passenger in a black BMW in the 3000 block of West Center Avenue when the shooting occurred at approximately 6:00 p.m. A female friend who was driving the vehicle recounted to police that she had driven Montano to meet with the occupants of a silver four-door car with tinted windows.
When Montano got out of her car, the driver of the other vehicle reportedly followed him and began shooting.
As the assailant continued to fire, Montano managed to get back into his friend's BMW, and she sped away from the scene, the sound of gunshots still echoing. She drove to a nearby 7-Eleven parking lot to call for help. Paramedics arrived and transported Montano to Denver Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators at the scene found evidence of at least 21 bullets having struck the BMW, a testament to the ferocity of the attack. Police also recovered. 45 caliber and 9mm shell casings, handguns, and ammunition in a nearby alley.
The investigation into Jeramy Montano's death led Denver police to two of his former co-workers. A tip suggested that individuals he knew from a sign company might be involved. This information, combined with cell phone records placing them in the vicinity of the shooting, pointed toward Lorenzo Lesperance, 26, and his cousin, Joseph Lovato, 30. Investigators learned that Lovato owned a silver Chevrolet Cruze, matching the description of the suspect vehicle. On January 25, 2018, both Lesperance and Lovato were taken into custody in connection with Montano's murder and were expected to face first-degree murder charges. The Adams County Sheriff's Office and the Westminster Police Department assisted in the arrests. While the motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed, the arrests brought a significant development in the case.
