Man who killed soldier in Colorado Springs gets plea deal worth 4-8 years

Charles Valentino Lobato was arrested for first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a soldier outside a Colorado Springs liquor store — but instead of facing decades in prison, he’ll be sentenced to 4-8 years after taking a plea deal Monday.

Lobato pled guilty to reckless manslaughter for killing 35-year-old Shawnee Tapia in January 2018, according to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. That’s a class-four felony.

Tapia was shot in a liquor store parking lot near 3800 Astrozon Boulevard, and he died at the hospital.

Police had identified Lobato as a suspect but evaded police for months. Costilla County deputies say they tried to stop Lobato in April, but he allegedly led them on a chase and shot at them. No charges have been filed for that incident, according to CoCourts records.

Lobato was finally arrested last September in Castle Rock.

Tapia had served in the army for seven years and moved to Colorado Springs with his wife and two children after a deployment to Afghanistan. His wife, Sonya, said she had no idea what could have led to the fatal killing, though she had no sympathy for Lobato after his arrest.

Lobato will officially be sentenced on June 24.