In the small community of Capulin, Colorado, a birthday celebration turned into a scene of tragedy on the evening of January 15, 2017. Jose M. Archuleta, a 54-year-old male, was killed in a shooting that claimed the lives of two others and left a fourth person seriously injured. The violence erupted at the home of Guadalupe Cervantes, who was celebrating his 57th birthday with friends and family.
Earlier in the day, the group had been at a local bar, where they encountered Santos
Navares, 25. Witnesses reported that Navares became aggressive after Marissa Herrera-Cervantes, 30, rejected his advances. Despite the tension, Cervantes invited Navares to continue the birthday celebration at his home. After following the group to the residence, Navares opened fire. When Conejos County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene on County Road Y, they found a grim tableau. Jose M. Archuleta and Guadalupe Cervantes were deceased at the scene, both having suffered fatal gunshot wounds. Marissa Herrera-Cervantes was found critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head and was airlifted to a hospital in Denver, where she later died. A fourth victim, Don L. Martinez, 34, was also shot but survived.
Santos Navares fled the scene in a stolen van but was apprehended a few miles away after the vehicle became stuck in the snow. He was described as intoxicated at the time of his arrest and initially claimed to have no memory of the events. Navares was charged with multiple counts, including three counts of first-degree murder.
In August 2018, Santos Navares pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 48 years. In the years following his conviction, Navares has sought to challenge his plea, claiming it was not made voluntarily and that he had ineffective legal counsel. In 2023, a judge granted a hearing to review these claims.
