In the spring of 2016, the life of 29-year-old Shane Richardson, a White/Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Denver, Colorado. On May 2, 2016, firefighters responded to a blaze at an apartment above Rosenberg's Bagel and Deli in the Five Points neighborhood. After extinguishing the fire, they made a grim discovery: Richardson's body was found inside a closet.
Initially, it was unclear if the fire had been the cause of his death, but an investigation by the Denver Office of the
Medical Examiner soon revealed a more sinister story. The autopsy determined that Richardson had not died from the fire but had been shot to death. This finding immediately turned the case into a homicide investigation, with authorities believing the fire was intentionally set to conceal the murder.
The investigation led police to identify a suspect: 30-year-old Brian Scott Pattison. Pattison, a tattoo artist, was reportedly at Richardson's apartment to work on a tattoo for him. Surveillance footage showed both men entering and exiting the building on April 30, but on April 31, only Pattison was seen. He was observed loading Richardson's belongings into Richardson's own car, which he then stole. Investigators believe Pattison returned to the apartment on the night of May 2, placed Richardson's body in the closet, and set the fire.
Pattison was arrested and charged with murder, arson, and multiple weapons charges. Two days after the fire, he was pulled over by state troopers for driving at 101 mph. During the traffic stop, he attempted to use a fake name and was found to be in possession of a gun, which was a parole violation from a previous conviction. In August 2017, jury selection began for his trial, and he was ultimately convicted of murder and arson. A judge sentenced Brian Pattison to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder, with an additional 24-year sentence for first-degree arson.
