Suspect in Fort Carson captain murder will be in court Wednesday

The man accused of shooting and killing a Fort Carson Captain will be in court Wednesday for First-degree murder.

Police say Gilberto Chavez, Jr. killed Captain Daniel Lehman in a random act of violence on September 15th, 2018. Now more charges could be on the way for others who may have helped the suspect or knew about the alleged crime.

According to the arrest warrant, Chavez was receiving aid from family. The two people who seemed to know the most about the alleged shooting are Chavez’ fiancee and sister. Documents say the fiancee, Tiffany Martin, knew Chavez was high on meth and had a handgun on him when he left her apartment after they had a fight the night of the murder. Minutes after police say Lehman was shot, Chavez texted her saying “got him”, and that someone was dead. He also told her there was no way he was going to get caught because there was no evidence.

Chavez then messaged other friends asking to help him. A text message reveals his sister Maricela Chavez picked him up after the shooting and he was going to turn himself in, but that never happened. He fled to the Las Vegas and then California before returning to Colorado.

With a warrant, police then searched his sisters home. That’s where they found a gun with the same caliber as the one used in the murder. A .22 caliber six-shot Heritage revolver with five empty casings and one live round.

Ultimately it was the suspect’s cousin who told police that Chavez called him saying he got into an altercation with someone and defended himself with a firearm. That’s what led police to look into Chavez and his text messages.

Both Martin and Chavez’ sister have not been charged, and police are still determining what they know.