DENVER (KDVR) — A former Lakewood Police Department officer standing trial for sexually assaulting women while on the job died by suicide Tuesday.
Randall Butler, who turned 40 on Sunday, was charged with two counts of sexual assault in Denver and was facing trial before a jury. The judge notified the jury Tuesday that Butler had died that morning before trial was to resume for closing arguments.
“We are sorry that this trial ended in this manner and our sympathies go out to the family and friends of Mr. Butler,” Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in a statement. “I am grateful that the victims in this case found the strength and courage to come forward and had an opportunity to tell their stories despite not having the finality of a jury verdict.”
Butler had been accused of sexually assaulting multiple women while on duty.
He resigned from the department and was arrested in 2018 after a woman came forward about his attack. More women came forward after that.
Butler was set to face another sex assault trial in Jefferson County later this month, court records show. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.