Pueblo man allegedly shoots friend outside of ‘fish gaming establishment’ on New Years Day

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Pueblo Police (PPD) were busy on the east side of Pueblo on New Year's Day. They responded to two separate shootings, happening 12 hours apart, and found two victims dead the on scene. Now, they have made an arrest in one of those homicides, which are not believed to be connected in any way.

Just after midnight on New Year's, PPD responded to the 1300 block of E 14th St. In front of a residence there, they found one person dead from an apparent gunshot wound. PPD says their investigation into this case remains open and is asking for anyone with any further information to come forward.

Then, just after 1 P.M. that day, PPD officers responded to a shooting outside of a business court records described as a "fish gaming establishment" in the 1200 block of Berwind Ave, also on Pueblo's east side. Within half a day of that shooting, PPD detectives developed probable cause to arrest 56-year-old Ricky Trujillo for first-degree murder.

Court records are revealing the circumstances surrounding the shooting yesterday afternoon. Trujillo's arrest affidavit reveals he, and multiple other friends, were parked outside of the fish games business. Fish game businesses are described by law enforcement as illegal gambling spots, businesses that law enforcement has continually tried to shut down for years.

Through surveillance footage from the gambling establishment, PPD detectives witnessed Trujillo point a gun at his friend from a close distance and fire at least one shot at his upper chest. He was found on the sidewalk along Berwind Ave without a pulse and blood was under him as he lay face down on the sidewalk.

A friend of Trujillo's told PPD officers that when Trujillo does drugs he thinks "people" are after him, and regularly freaks out, court documents say.

When interviewing Trujillo's wife, PPD officers were told by her that Trujillo shot his friend "over nothing." Before the shooting, his wife told the officers that he was with friends that he does fentanyl with, his wife stating that she does not like that, court documents say.

PPD officers then located Trujillo in an orange Ford Escape that he allegedly used to drive off after the shooting. They detained him without incident and brought him to the police station to question him. Trujillo told them that he wanted an attorney and the questions from detectives stopped.

After conducting other interviews with Trujillo's friends who were at the scene of the shooting, including one who described him as a "loose cannon," PDD detectives arrested him on one count of 1st-degree murder.

The victim's name has not been publicly identified by the Pueblo County Coroner. Until then, KRDO13 Investigates will not be releasing the victim's name.

Trujillo is in the Pueblo County Jail on a $2 million cash-only bond. His next court date is scheduled for January 10, 2024.

Do you have a tip you want KRDO13 Investigates to look into? Email us at 13investigates@krdo.com.