Colorado Springs residents living near site of homeless camp fire and murder relieved as clean-up begins
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Wednesday, El Paso County clean-up crews began clearing out a property that was the site of an October fire at a homeless camp and a subsequent murder. Many Colorado Springs residents living nearby said they endured two years of problems with trash, loud noises, and crime.
Crews spent the morning taking out trash and debris at a property called Fairway S in southwest Colorado Springs.
In recent months, 13 Investigates learned the man accused of murder on the property, Gregory Lee, was in the process of "purchasing" it from the land owner, Joe Birkenhoff from Durango. Since 2020, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners has been marred in civil litigation with Birkenhoff.
On December 20, 2022, a judge ruled that El Paso County Code Enforcement and the Sheriff's Office were able to remove camps that had been "erected on private property and clear them out," according to a Sheriff's Office spokesperson.
"We are finally at the point where we're not scared to live in our own house and that feeling is irreplaceable," neighbor Jennifer Aldaz said. "My husband and I both work so I just wanted to be able to sleep, to have some peace and quiet, to be able to enjoy our tenant rights."
Aldaz told 13 Investigates that law enforcement arrived on December 27, 2022, to remove people from the property. She claims many were hostile towards law enforcement.
"One of the girls was screaming at the police officer right here," Aldaz said. "He finally told her, look, leave or you're going to jail, and that's when she got out of here."
Deputies on the scene told people that the Fairway S property was no longer considered "private property" and ordered them to leave immediately.
Wednesday, the property was still riddled with trash and broken-down campers. However, there was not a single person living on the property.
"They weren't necessarily there by choice. I feel sorry for them," Aldaz said. "You know, they've got to find a new place to go. Having said that, I think people should just hold out hope when you're in a situation like this."
13 Investigates reached out to El Paso County for more information on the next steps with the property. The Board of County Commissioners declined an interview request. However, a spokesperson issued this statement:
"In cases that we cannot reach voluntary compliance the available remedy is through the court process. The court ordered for El Paso County Code Enforcement to conduct clean-up of the property."
El Paso County Spokesperson
Aldaz said El Paso County told her that there is a $75,000 price tag for the clean-up, with hopes that they can remodel it into a park or recreation place.
The first-degree murder case against Gregory Lee, accused of killing Jose Delgado-Diaz, is scheduled for a jury trial beginning on April 10. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office later arrested Gabriel Clark also for the first-degree murder of Delgado-Diaz in late October. Clark is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on January 27.
