Castle Rock man facing murder charges after pleading guilty to stabbing his mother

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (KRDO) -- A man in Castle Rock is facing murder charges for the deadly stabbing of his mother. Yesterday, May 6, 34-year-old Matthew Buchanan pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for an incident stemming back to 2022. 

Castle Rock police say that's when they responded to reports of a structure fire at a home on Dove Valley Place. Elizabeth Bjorlow the suspect's mother was found dead inside the home on the kitchen floor. After further investigation, it was revealed she suffered trauma to her face, head, and hands, and that her clothes appeared to have been set on fire and were partially burned. 

Buchanan was seen leaving the scene shortly after the fire was reported. A second-degree murder conviction carries a maximum sentence of 48 years in the Department of Corrections. Buchanan will be sentenced on July 24th.