AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — A man who was critically shot in his home on Father’s Day died two weeks later. Now, police are looking for the suspect who was released after posting bond.
According to the Aurora Police Department, officers were called to the area of East 7th and Toledo Street on June 19 on reports of a shooting. Police arrived at the home at 9:45 p.m. and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was then transported to the hospital where he remained in critical condition for multiple days.
Police reported that the victim, identified as 30-year-old Esteban Lopez, died on Thursday, July 7, more than two weeks after he was shot.
The suspect in the shooting, 24-year-old Juan Serrano, retreated into the home after the shooting, according to police. Officers established a perimeter and had SWAT respond to the scene.
Eventually, Serrano surrendered and was taken into custody. At the time, Serrano was arrested on multiple charges including suspicion of first-degree assault. Police said he was able to post bond and was released one day after the shooting on June 20.
After Lopez died on Thursday, the Aurora Major Crimes Homicide Unit took over the investigation. Updated homicide charges are currently pending against Serrano, but investigators don’t currently know where he is.
Due to the updated homicide charges, police are looking for any information on Serrano’s current location. If you know where Serrano is, you are urged to contact the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
A GoFundMe has been created for the funeral expenses for Lopez. As of Friday afternoon, the GoFundMe had already raised more than $20,000.
How was the suspect able to get bond?
The Problem Solvers’ Joshua Short spoke with FOX31 legal analyst George Brauchler, the former 18th Judicial District Attorney, asking why the suspect was even able to get a bond.
“First off, a bond is not static, it’s fluid, and it’s dependent upon a whole host of circumstances,” Brauchler said.
“So here, before the victim died, they were only a victim of what law enforcement determined to be first-degree assault. That has a certain bond amount to it — $50,000 sounds about right — but when there’s a change of circumstances, including the death of a victim, that likely changes the nature of the charge makes it more aggravated,” Brauchler said.
Lopez was shot while celebrating Father’s Day. His brother-in-law Omar Cisneros was there that night.
“It was traumatizing. It was traumatizing for the girls, because you know, they didn’t know what was going on,” Cisneros said.
“I was there at the hospital when saod their last goodbye to him and, it was heartbreaking,” he said.