In the small mountain town of Idaho Springs, Colorado, the community was shaken by the violent death of a well-known resident, 44-year-old Eric Spencer. On the evening of April 10, 2016, police responded to a call for medical assistance at the Aspen Leaf apartments on 345 Idaho Street. Inside one of the units, they discovered Spencer, who had sustained a single gunshot wound to the head. He died on April 11, 2016.
The cause of death was later confirmed to be a gunshot from a small-caliber weapon.
The investigation into Spencer's death initially led to the arrest of a person of interest who was present at the apartment. However, this individual was soon released without being charged, leaving the community with more questions than answers. For a time, investigators acknowledged they knew who had fired the shot but had not yet made an arrest, leading to public frustration and division within the town. The district attorney's office even considered the state's 'Make My Day Law' in their evaluation of the case.
Months later, in September 2016, a grand jury indicted 22-year-old Colton Davison for the murder of Eric Spencer. Davison had been renting the apartment where Spencer's body was found. He was arrested and faced charges of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors revealed that Davison had been arrested on the night of the shooting but was subsequently released pending further investigation. While it was known that Spencer and Davison were acquainted, the specific nature of their relationship was not publicly detailed. Following the indictment, Davison was held at the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office on a $250,000 bond.
