The Colorado Springs Gazette

Ex-Colorado convict served time on assault before deadly shootout

PHOENIX — An ex-convict who police say killed two people before engaging in a gunbattle with authorities on a Phoenix-area freeway was paroled from a Colorado prison in October after serving 4 ½ years of a roughly six-year sentence on charges that included punching an El Paso County sheriff's deputy in the face. Andrew J. Rael, 25, died...
Liquor store in southeast Colorado Springs robbed at gunpoint

A liquor store in southeast Colorado Springs was held up at gunpoint Monday night, police said. A man entered Astro Liquors at 3865 Astrozon Blvd., near Jet Wing Drive and Academy Boulevard, around 10:30 p.m., pointed a gun at the clerk, demanded money and fled with cash, Colorado Springs police said. Officers searched the area but were not...
Woman claims sex assault in parking lot of Dublin House bar

A 28-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a parked car early Sunday morning is behind bars. Police said the assault happened around 1:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Dublin House, a bar at 1850 Dominion Way, near Dublin and Academy boulevards. Police said the victim, a 35-year-old woman, didn't know the suspect,...
Painter accused of stealing appliances, credit cards

A house painter accused of stealing credit cards, checks and appliances was arrested Feb. 27 on suspicion of trespassing, theft and forgery, according to Colorado Springs police and court documents. Fabian Ramos is suspected of stealing appliances from newly built vacant houses along the Powers Boulevard corridor, police said. Police said...
Soldier died of suicide during shootout with Fountain police

The bullet that killed a Fort Carson soldier during a gunfight with Fountain police in November came from his own gun. The Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office revealed the fact Tuesday as it wrapped up the investigation. About 5 p.m. Nov. 11, Fountain police responded to reports that a car had crashed into a house. Fountain Police...
Fremont County coroner identifies Ca

A Cañon City mother and her two children who were slain Sunday were identified Tuesday as Mandy Folsom, 35, Marissa Folsom, 9, and Mason Folsom, 5, Fremont County Coroner Carlette Brocious said. Autopsies for the three victims will be conducted Wednesday, when the cause and manner of death will be determined, Brocious said. Jaacob...
Coroner describes baby's death as suspicious, but manner undetermined

The circumstances surrounding the August death of a 6-month-old boy were "suspicious" but the manner of death could not be determined, according to an El Paso County coroner's report. The baby's parents - Nicholas Manuel Lucero, 21, and Elizabeth Elishah Lopez, 20 - were arrested Thursday on suspicion of child abuse resulting in death after a...
Ex-Indiana neighbors scared of Cañon City slaying suspect

WHITELAND, Ind. — The arrest of a former central Indiana man on charges that he killed a woman and her two young children in Colorado isn't surprising to some of his old neighbors. Police accuse 31-year-old Jaacob Vanwinkle of the weekend attack in Canon City, Colo. He lived for a time in the Johnson County town of Whiteland after serving...
Cañon City school reels from student's death

Following Monday's regular Cañon City School Board meeting, officials expressed their sorrow about the Sunday tragedy that took the life of a Cañon City mother and two of her children, one of whom, a 9-year-old girl, was a student at Washington Elementary School. "The loss of any student is completely incomprehensible," said board...
Armed robbery suspects in custody, one remains at-large

Two men suspected of robbing a man at gunpoint Sunday night have been taken into custody, while a third suspect remains at-large, Colorado Springs police said. Daniel Hugill, 28, and Mason Pedotto, 30, were arrested Tuesday, according to a statement released by Lt. Catherine Buckley. Trent Russell Howard, 24, was still being sought in...
Colorado Springs police issue warrant for attempted murder in road rage incident

Colorado Springs police have issued an arrest warrant for Nathaniel Lee Mancha on suspicion of attempted murder in a March 1 road rage incident that left a man in critical condition. Mancha, 25, was identified as the driver of a gray 2008 Toyota Tundra that allegedly struck 30-year-old Anthony Jafari in the 5600 block of North Academy...
Man arrested in Cañon City slayings of mother, two young children has record of domestic violence

CANON CITY - A 31-year-old man arrested at the scene of the slayings of a Cañon City woman and her two young children has a record that includes domestic violence and two child molestation convictions, according to court documents. Jaacob Harding Vanwinkle was arrested Sunday on suspicion of three counts of first-degree murder, three...
Trio sought in northern Colorado Springs robbery

A man was robbed at gunpoint by three men late Sunday night, Colorado Springs police said. Officers are on the lookout for the three suspects, identified as Trent Russell Howard, 24, Daniel Hugill, 28, and Mason Pedotto, 30. Police said the man was robbed and assaulted around 11:30 p.m. near Contrails and Stratus drives, located in...
Grand Jury indicts Colorado Springs couple in child abuse death

The father of a 5-month-old boy who died in August is accused of putting his son in an unsafe sleeping situation to punish the infant and muffle his cries, according to a grand jury indictment. A separate indictment for the infant's mother says she was complicit in the death of Nicholas Lucero Junior. Nicholas Manuel Lucero, 21, and Elizabeth...
Arrest made in Chapel Hills Mall carjacking

The suspect in a carjacking at the Chapel Hills Mall on Sunday was arrested Monday afternoon, Colorado Springs police said. Police said Jeffrey Frank allegedly threatened a woman in the mall parking lot before driving off in her black Audi. The victim was leaving Dillard's, on the east side of the mall, at about 6 p.m. and was on her way to...
First of two deadly weekend shootings in Colorado Springs ruled homicide

One of two deadly Saturday shootings has been ruled a homicide, Colorado Springs police said, but the name of the victim has not been released. Police said the man killed early Saturday morning at the Pine Creek Village apartments at 960 Chapman Drive was 26 years old."We will not release any victims' identities because detectives are still in...
Mugshot Monday: Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted in the Colorado Springs area, March 10, 2014

Wanted: Pikes Peak Area Crime Stoppers is asking for the public's help finding the following people for whom felony arrest warrants have been issued. Blaine William Baughman, 35, is described as a 127-pound man, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. Baughman is being sought on suspicion of escape. Roy Elliott, 42, is...
Newtown gunman's dad: You can't get any more evil

NEW YORK — In his most extensive comments about the 2012 Connecticut school massacre, the father of gunman Adam Lanza describes his struggle to comprehend what his son did — an act that "couldn't get any more evil" — and how he now wishes that his son had never been born. Peter Lanza also told The New Yorker magazine in a series of...
Holmes' lawyers want high court ruling on sources

DENVER — Lawyers for the man charged with killing 12 people in a Colorado movie theater asked the Supreme Court to require a Fox News reporter to identify her sources for a story about the defendant. The attorneys said Monday they asked the justices to review a New York state court ruling that Colorado cannot force New York-based reporter...
Aurora releasing inmates after 72 hours

AURORA — Authorities in Aurora are releasing inmates after only three days in jail because of a cap on the number of municipal inmates housed at the Adams County jail. The city jail lacks a medical center and larger kitchen, and city officials say they do not have a way to take care of more inmates until a dispute with Adams County is...