In a quiet corner of Englewood, Colorado, a grim discovery shattered the winter calm. The body of 33-year-old Patrick Steven Murphy, a male, was found by a pedestrian taking a walk along the bike path at Little Dry Creek Plaza on the afternoon of February 11, 2017. His death was immediately investigated as a homicide. It was later revealed that he had been shot multiple times and his body placed in the location where he was found.
One source indicates he was lost to gun violence on November 12, 2016.
The investigation into the death of Patrick Murphy led Englewood Police to a suspect who was already in custody on unrelated charges. Mikhail Purpera, 29 years old at the time, was identified as the individual responsible for the death of Murphy. Already detained at the Denver County Jail, Purpera faced a litany of charges for his alleged role in the Englewood homicide.
The charges brought against Mikhail Purpera were extensive and serious, including murder in the first degree, aggravated robbery, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. In addition to these, he was also charged with possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, obstruction of a peace officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft. Purpera was also a suspect in two other cases, including the killing of a homeless man in Denver during an attempted robbery for marijuana and an attempted murder case in Gonzales, Louisiana.
