Two homeless found dead in Pueblo during winter storms
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Pueblo County Coroner tells KRDO two individuals were found dead near Fountain Creek this week.
Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter would not say if both individuals froze to death until an autopsy is performed, but he says both were homeless.
Pueblo has been experiencing winter storms and single-digit temperatures since Sunday.
Police discovered the first individual -- Jimmy Aguilar, 61 -- Monday afternoon in his tent near Fountain Creek west of Dayton Avenue.
Police found the second deceased individual near Interstate 25 and Cesar Chavez Highway on Tuesday morning. The coroner identified him as 67-year old Jimmy Niles, also identified by family members as Billy Niles.
Angela Garrison, Niles' daughter, said "He was loved by so many."
Cotter says Niles was living on the streets, but police cannot confirm if Niles is homeless. The 67-year old's vehicle was found at a nearby Taco Bell, but it is unclear what he was doing outside.
In order to help Pueblo's homeless population during the cold nights, Mayor Nick Gradisar opened the Pueblo Transit Center Monday and Tuesday night to serve as an emergency warming shelter. The center holds a maximum of 20 individuals. Other homeless found shelter at Pueblo's new homeless transitional shelter on 4th Street, which opened back in February.
