Suspect in deadly stabbing of UCCS professor found guilty of second-degree murder
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The man accused of stabbing and killing University of Colorado Colorado Springs professor Haleh Abghari in a 2024 attack was found guilty of murder by an El Paso County jury on Thursday.
Following a multi-day trial, Ceasar Lorenzo Wilson was found guilty on all charges on Feb. 26, including second-degree murder and aggravated robbery.
On the morning of Aug. 7, 2024, Colorado Springs police received a call for service in the 6400 block of Caddy Point. When officers arrived, they found a woman dead at the scene with at least one stab wound. The woman was later identified as 54-year-old Haleh Abghari, and her death was ruled a homicide.
Abghari was a UCCS music professor who had been with the department for 10 years. Colleagues tell KRDO13 that she was an integral part of the program, and friends say her life was a testament to her passion for the arts and human rights.
READ MORE: Friends still devastated as hunt for suspect accused of killing UCCS music instructor continues
After months of investigation, detectives developed probable cause to arrest Wilson. He wasn't tracked down and arrested until March 27, 2025, nearly eight months after Abghari's death. At the time of his arrest, police said he was already in custody in another county on unrelated charges and was using a different name.
Court documents show that Wilson pleaded not guilty to a long list of charges, including second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, aggravated robbery, second-degree motor vehicle theft, and identity theft. He also faces multiple habitual crime counts, which could significantly increase his sentence.
Wilson was found guilty of all charges on Thursday, Feb. 26. He is scheduled for a habitual criminal hearing on Friday, which will determine whether his prior convictions qualify him for enhanced sentencing.
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