Suspect in Denver murder on probation with multiple warrants out of El Paso County at time of shooting
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Police arrested a man with multiple warrants regarding probation violations out of El Paso County in connection to a deadly shooting in Denver.
According to the Denver Police Department (DPD), 32-year-old Alejandro Blanco, a Cuban national from El Paso County, was arrested on July 29, 2022, for the murder of 41-year-old Sergio Ordonez-Valencia.
According to court documents, a witness told investigators that Blanco said to a group of four men sitting at a picnic table at Elyria Park in Denver "I'm going to kill all of you," on July 20, 2022. He's accused of then firing two shots into the group and hitting Ordonez-Valencia in the neck, killing him.
At the time of this shooting, 13 Investigates learned that Blanco was serving 18-month probation and 30-month community corrections sentences. In 2020, he plead guilty to aggravated motor vehicle theft in El Paso County and was sentenced in September 2021.
Since Blanco's sentencing, a Colorado Springs probation officer has filed three separate probation revocation complaints alleging that he was violating the conditions of probation. Those complaints were filed in an El Paso County courtroom on February 24, April 15, and June 2 of this year.
"When you have a probation revocation, you have the right to a hearing within 14 days," Colorado Springs attorney Jeremy Loew explained.
According to court documents, Blanco was given these hearings but failed to appear in court on April 1, and July 21. Blanco was eventually detained on failure to appear warrants on March 12 and again on May 28.
Following being detailed on March 12, court documents indicate that El Paso County Judge Frances Renae Johnson gave Blanco a $2,000 surety bond.
It's unclear the terms of his release following his May 28 detainment. 13 Investigates is actively seeking answers surrounding that incident.
"The judge was likely letting him out. New probation complaints were being filed. He obviously wasn't taking probation seriously. He wasn't taking community corrections seriously," Loew said. "Now we are in a situation where he's killed somebody."
Loew acknowledged that not everyone on a probationary or community corrections sentence is likely to be charged with murder.
"However, this is clearly someone who was a bad apple and as a result of that, we are now faced with a much more serious crime," Loew said.
13 Investigates reached out to the El Paso County courts for information on Blanco's warrants and releases from jail. They said they cannot comment on pending cases.
The 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office told 13 Investigates they objected to a personal recognizance bond, or bond with no monetary backing when Blanco was detained. They issued this statement saying:
Looking at defendant's history, he has consistently and repeatedly failed to report to probation, failed to come into compliance, was revoked from ComCor for failing to comply with their requirements.
The Defendant has been given numerous chances in the community, but refuses to be where he is supposed to be when the Court orders him to be there and have no faith that he would start reporting now.
Howard Black
Fourth Judicial District of Colorado
