Jury deliberating in the trial of Pueblo man accused of murdering Fountain Police Officer
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- A jury of 12 in El Paso County is now deliberating in the murder trial of Fountain Police Officer Julian Becerra. This comes after impassioned closing arguments by the 4th Judicial District Attorney's office and the defense team for Devon Bobian, the man accused of murder.
On Feb. 2, 2023, K9 Officer Becerra was one of many officers chasing three suspects in a stolen blue sedan. The chase took them from southeast Colorado Springs, into Fountain, onto both sides of I-25, and then onto South Academy Blvd. Investigators state the suspects were driving recklessly and drove the wrong way down lanes at several points during the pursuit.
The chase eventually led officers to a Love's Travel Center in Fountain. According to the new arrest affidavit, the three suspects were seen near a silver Toyota 4Runner in the parking lot. The owner of the Toyota told investigators she was about to pump gas when one of the suspects approached her, flashed a gun at her, and demanded her keys and to empty her pockets.
In court Friday, the prosecution was tasked with convincing the jury that Bobian is guilty of felony murder. That law states that someone is guilty of murder if someone dies while they are in the commission of another felony crime. In this case, the prosecution is alleging that Bobian is guilty of robbery for attempting to steal Palmer's 4Runner, and while he was fleeing from law enforcement, Officer Becerra died while attempting to stop him.
They allege the evidence is clear, arguing to the jury "this is murder" during Friday's closing arguments. They also presented evidence that showed Bobian lunge toward Becerra moments before he fell from the bridge along South Academy Blvd.
Bobian's defense attorney, Beau Worthington, argued in his closing arguments that Becerra's death was a "tragedy," and said that Bobian being charged with murder was a "overreach" by the agency investigating Becerra's death, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
Worthington told the jury the law enforcement officers investigating whether to charge Bobian with murder were likely clouded with "bias" because the person who died was also a law enforcement officer.
The jury began deliberating just after 3 P.M. Friday afternoon. El Paso County District Judge Chad Miller sent them home at the close of the business day. They will resume their deliberations on Monday morning.
