Affidavits: Springs boy, 14, killed over lost cell phone

Affidavits for two men who are accused of shooting a Colorado Springs teenager to death say a lost cell phone led to the violence.

Desmond Smith, 14, was shot at Memorial Park just after 2 a.m. on July 18, 2015. The 911 call came in at 2:08 a.m., and Smith died at Memorial Hospital at 2:36 a.m.

Raymond Rogan Jr. and Riccardo Kirven face first-degree murder charges in Smith’s death. They were in court for an advisement on Monday.

According to the affidavit for Rogan Jr., Smith and two other juvenile friends, whose names KRDO is not releasing because of their ages, went to the park earlier in the day Saturday to meet with some girls.

The friends said that while the group was hanging out at the park, a white sedan pulled up with another girl and two men inside. The affidavit identifies one of those men as Rogan Jr.

According to the affidavit, Smith’s friends told detectives that, during the course of the evening, Rogan Jr. realized his cell phone was missing and accused the three of having it. They said they helped search for the phone, but it wasn’t found.

The affidavit says that, after leaving the park, someone in the white sedan called and said they were coming back to continue searching for the missing phone. They say that as the three boys were approaching the arriving car, someone opened fire from a passenger side window. Two of the boys ran one direction and Smith ran the other. Smith’s friends hid near a building until they felt it was safe. When they came out of hiding, they found Smith had been shot.

Rogan Jr.’s affidavit says that one of Smith’s friends identified him in a photo lineup and that detectives were able to trace him to an address in the 900 block of S. Conejos St. where police found a car matching a description of the white sedan.

The affidavit for Kirven says police obtained a search warrant for the home on Conejos St. and an arrest warrant for Rogan Jr. It says that, following his arrest, Rogan Jr. told investigators that he met with his sister and some friends at Memorial Park and that the three boys, including Smith, were there.

The affidavit says that Rogan Jr. noticed his cellphone was missing and confronted the boys about it, though they denied taking it. It says the group then went to Rogan Junior’s Uncle Ricky’s house in the 1400 block of N. Chelton Rd. where they further discussed the missing phone.

Kirven’s affidavit goes on to say that, according to Rogan Jr., Uncle Ricky overheard the group discussing the missing phone and told them to get the car because they were going to get his phone back. It says that Rogan Jr. drove the car back to the park with Uncle Ricky in the front passenger seat.

The affidavit says that Rogan Jr. told investigators that when he pulled the car into the park, Uncle Ricky pulled out a silver semi-automatic handgun, stuck it out the window and began shooting. It says Rogan Jr. told Uncle Ricky to stop and then drove away.

Rogan Jr. identified Uncle Ricky as Ricccardo Kirven.

Kirven’s affidavit says that after the shooting, he called Rogan Jr.’s father to tell him what happened. It says that Rogan Sr. found and moved two cartridge casings, which he failed to tell detectives.

Rogan Sr. faces charges for tampering with evidence and accessory to murder. He has bonded out of jail and has not yet been advised.

On Monday, Rogan Sr. told KRDO NewsChannel 13 that his son is innocent. Click here to read and watch what he had to say.