In the quiet community of Durango, Colorado, the life of David A. Gaytan, a 34-year-old Caucasian man, was tragically cut short on Sunday, May 14, 2017. A former resident of Geneva, Illinois, Gaytan was known by friends as a joyful and happy person with a good heart, always willing to lend a hand to someone in need. He was a father and a free spirit, with a passion for creating beautiful things with his hands, including painting, jewelry, and dreamcatchers.
The events that led to his
untimely death unfolded at a friend's home in the Lightner Creek Mobile Home Park. Three individuals from Texas—Michael Jones, 19, Kevin Goff, 27, and Alysse Rios, 19—had traveled to Durango with the intention of purchasing marijuana. However, their plan was not to complete a simple transaction but to commit a robbery. While Rios waited in a black sedan with the engine running, Jones and Goff entered the residence.
Inside, the situation quickly escalated. Jones brandished a handgun, demanding that the occupants empty their pockets and surrender their wallets. At some point during the robbery, David Gaytan lunged toward Jones. In response, Jones fired his weapon, striking Gaytan in the chest and inflicting a fatal wound. The trio then fled the scene, but their escape was short-lived. Later that same day, the Colorado State Patrol apprehended all three suspects in Chaffee County.
The subsequent investigation led to significant legal consequences for the three individuals from Texas. Michael Jones, the man who pulled the trigger, was convicted of first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated robbery, three counts of menacing with a deadly weapon, and one count of tampering with physical evidence. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His co-defendants also faced justice for their roles in the deadly robbery. Kevin Goff pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery, and Alysse Rios pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated robbery with intent to kill, maim, or wound with a weapon. Goff was sentenced to 24 years in prison, while Rios received a sentence of up to 12 years.
