Aurora Violent Crimes: Suspect Demographics Analysis 2022–2025

Overview of Aurora’s Violent Crime Incidents

Lewis Loflin presents a detailed examination of violent crimes in Aurora, Colorado, from 2022 to 2025, sourced from the Aurora Police Department blotter. This report covers 16 incidents involving 33 suspects, focusing on their demographic profiles—Black, Hispanic, Asian, and white males—and the nature of their crimes, which range from homicides to armed robberies. The analysis highlights patterns of criminal behavior and systemic issues in the justice system.

Reported Incidents

• October 16, 2023: Double Stabbing at E. Colfax Avenue

  On October 16, 2023, a double stabbing near E. Colfax Avenue and Lima Street in Aurora claimed the lives of two men, Desmond Thomas, 44, and Otto Washington, 58. The suspect, 30-year-old Deven Jay Dobbins, a Black male, allegedly stabbed the victims around 8 p.m. Passersby alerted police to Thomas lying in the street, and a second victim, Washington, was found nearby in an alley. Both were rushed to a hospital but succumbed to their injuries. Aurora Police Department’s Major Crime Homicide Unit identified Dobbins as the suspect after reviewing security footage and prior interactions captured on body-worn cameras. A nationwide warrant was issued, and Dobbins was arrested on October 28 in Brookfield, Missouri, by a state trooper. He was extradited to Colorado on November 18, 2023, and booked into Arapahoe County Jail on two counts of second-degree murder. Dobbins had a prior arrest in 2022 for assault and child abuse, pleading guilty to third-degree assault in August 2023. Ref. www.auroragov.org

  
  Deven Jay Dobbins

• April 18, 2025: Assault at E. Alameda Avenue

  On April 18, 2025, an assault occurred near E. Alameda Avenue and S. Chambers Road in Aurora, leaving a 35-year-old woman with serious injuries. The suspect, 29-year-old Brandon Lee Harris, a Black male, allegedly attacked the victim during an altercation stemming from a domestic dispute. The incident took place around 7:30 p.m., with police responding to reports of a woman screaming for help. Witnesses observed Harris striking the woman multiple times before fleeing the scene on foot. Aurora police located Harris a few blocks away, hiding in a nearby apartment complex, and arrested him without incident. He faces charges of second-degree assault and domestic violence. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is expected to recover, though she sustained significant bruising and a fractured arm. Harris had a prior 2024 conviction for misdemeanor assault, raising concerns about his history of violence. The Aurora Police Department noted that domestic violence remains a persistent issue in the community, often involving repeat offenders who continue to pose a threat to public safety. Ref. www.auroragov.org

  
  Brandon Lee Harris

• April 27, 2025: Fatal Shooting at Oasis Bar and Grill

  On April 27, 2025, a fatal shooting occurred in a parking lot at 5064 E. Mississippi Ave., outside the Oasis Bar and Grill in Aurora, claiming the life of 26-year-old Ra’jon Darquell Joseph. The suspect, 32-year-old Brandon Ellis Sutton, a Black male, allegedly shot Joseph around 1 a.m. after an altercation inside the bar. The Aurora Police Department reported that the two men argued over a spilled drink, leading Sutton to leave, retrieve a firearm from his vehicle, and return to confront Joseph. Witnesses heard a single gunshot, and Joseph was found with a chest wound, pronounced dead at the scene despite attempts at aid. Sutton fled but was arrested hours later on April 27 by the APD Fugitive Unit after being identified through security footage and witness statements. He faces charges of second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm. Sutton had a prior 2023 arrest for carrying a concealed handgun without a permit, yet was not in custody at the time of this incident, raising questions about law enforcement oversight.

  
  Brandon Ellis Sutton

• February 9, 2024: Fatal Shooting on Paris Street

  On February 9, 2024, a fatal shooting occurred at a residence in the 1700 block of Paris Street in Aurora, resulting in the death of an adult woman. Aurora police responded around 8:00 p.m. to reports of a shooting and found the victim inside the home with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The Adams County Coroner’s Office later identified her as 27-year-old Vatrice Little. The Aurora Police Department’s Major Crime Homicide Unit identified 32-year-old Kelynn Lewis, a Black male, as the suspect. Lewis, the victim’s ex-partner, allegedly shot her after learning a child he believed to be his was not biologically his. With assistance from APD’s FAST, SWAT, DART, and K9 units, Lewis was arrested on February 11 for first-degree murder. He also faces attempted murder and child abuse charges due to children present during the incident. Lewis had a prior 2016 conviction for illegal weapons possession.

  
  Kelynn Lewis

• March 15, 2024: Fatal Shooting at East Second Avenue Condo Complex

  On March 15, 2024, a fatal shooting occurred at a condominium complex in the 14600 block of East Second Avenue in Aurora, resulting in the death of 24-year-old Theresa Burke. Aurora police responded around 3 a.m. to reports of a shooting and found Burke suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene, with the Arapahoe County Coroner confirming her death as a homicide. Three Black male suspects, Cameron Mooty, 31, Stephan Cherry, 32, and Corey Allen, 26, fled in a moving truck but were pursued by police. The chase ended near E-470 and Pena Boulevard when the truck got stuck in snow. The suspects fled on foot but were quickly detained. Mooty sustained a gunshot wound prior to police contact and was hospitalized, while Cherry and Allen were held on felony warrants. All three were later booked on second-degree murder charges. Detectives seized several firearms from the truck as evidence.

  
  Cameron Mooty, Stephan Cherry, and Corey Allen

• May 30, 2022: Fatal Shooting at East 16th Avenue and Alton Street

  On May 30, 2022, a fatal shooting occurred near East 16th Avenue and Alton Street in Aurora, killing 44-year-old Ricardo Ryans. Around 3:45 p.m., Ryans was a passenger in a black 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan driven by a woman. As they drove, a white sedan with hazard lights blocked their path. An unknown man, later identified as 22-year-old Lu Reh, an Asian male, emerged and fired multiple rounds into the passenger side, striking Ryans. The woman sped to an alley between Willow and Xanthia streets in Denver, where Ryans collapsed and died from multiple gunshot wounds. She then drove to a motel near East 14th Avenue and Niagara Street, where police found the vehicle with bullet holes and blood. Aurora’s Major Crime Homicide Unit identified Reh as the suspect through witness statements, forensic evidence, and ballistic analysis of 9mm shell casings. Reh, already in Denver County Jail for an unrelated 2022 homicide, was charged on May 14, 2024, with first-degree murder and second-degree assault with a deadly weapon.

  
  Lu Reh

• August 18, 2024: Burglary and Menacing at The Edge at Lowry Apartments

  On August 18, 2024, a burglary and menacing incident occurred at The Edge at Lowry Apartments in the 1200 block of Dallas Street, Aurora. Security footage captured six Hispanic male suspects—Naudi Lopez-Fernandez, 21, Edilson Yoel Pena-Angulo, 25, Danyeer Aramillo-Meneses, 23, Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 26, Niefred Jose Serpa-Acosta, 20, and Adan Jose Ramirez-Sanchez, 37—armed with handguns and a rifle, knocking on apartment doors. About 10 minutes later, a fatal shooting occurred nearby, killing 25-year-old Oswaldo Jose Dabion Araujo. The Aurora Police Department’s Operation Safe Haven Task Force arrested five suspects by January 2025: Lopez-Fernandez, Pena-Angulo, Aramillo-Meneses, and Serpa-Acosta in New York, and Zambrano-Pacheco in the Bronx on January 28, 2025, by DEA and Homeland Security officers. Ramirez-Sanchez remains at large. All face charges of first-degree burglary and menacing with a firearm. A related December 17, 2024, kidnapping at the same complex involved a dozen armed suspects, indicating ongoing criminal activity in the area.

  
  Naudi Lopez-Fernandez, Edilson Yoel Pena-Angulo, Danyeer Aramillo-Meneses, Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, and Niefred Jose Serpa-Acosta

• September 20, 2024: Fatal Shooting at East Colfax Avenue and Helena Street

  On September 20, 2024, a fatal shooting occurred in the parking lot of a liquor store in the 15500 block of East Colfax Avenue near Helena Street in Aurora. Around 8:45 p.m., a 38-year-old Venezuelan man, who was not a resident of nearby Whispering Pines apartments, was killed after an argument escalated. The victim and another man confronted two unknown men and a woman in the parking lot, leading to a physical fight and gunfire. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a hospital, where he died. The Arapahoe County Coroner later identified him as Carlos Mendoza. Aurora Police Department’s Major Crime Homicide Unit arrested 20-year-old Davonte McCoy Bletson, a Black male from Denver, on September 22 with assistance from the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and Denver Metro SWAT Team. Bletson faces second-degree murder charges and is held on $500,000 bond at Arapahoe County Jail. The other two suspects fled in a silver sedan and remain at large.

  
  Davonte McCoy Bletson

• April 4 and June 28, 2024: Assault and Nonfatal Shooting Incidents

  Roiberth Daniel Mora-Marquez, a 23-year-old Hispanic male and documented Tren de Aragua gang member, was arrested by the Aurora Police Department Gang Intervention Unit on September 25, 2024, for two incidents. On April 4, 2024, Mora-Marquez allegedly assaulted a tenant in the 1600 block of Lima Street over unpaid rent, leading to charges of aggravated first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, third-degree assault, and felony menacing. He was arrested on April 17, posted $20,000 bond, but failed to appear in court, resulting in a warrant. On June 28, 2024, Mora-Marquez was involved in a nonfatal shooting in the 400 block of Nile Street, firing a gun during a dispute, which led to charges of felony menacing, illegal discharge of a firearm, harassment, and reckless endangerment in Arapahoe District Court. He was arrested on warrants from both Adams and Arapahoe courts and is held at Aurora Detention Center on a no-bond hold as one of 10 TdA members identified by APD.

  
  Roiberth Daniel Mora-Marquez

• April 2024: Organized Crime and Shootings in Aurora and Metro Area

  In April 2024, the Aurora Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Unit began investigating multiple unsolved shootings in Aurora, Wheat Ridge, and Lakewood, leading to the arrest of four Hispanic male suspects on September 5 and 6, 2024. The suspects, Lennon Melgares, 18, of Edgewater, Xavier Chavez, 18, of Aurora, Jayden Velarde, 18, of Morrison, and a 17-year-old from Lakewood, were charged under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act in Arapahoe District Court. They face charges of attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aggravated intimidation of a victim or witness, and felony menacing, among others. The investigation, supported by Aurora’s ballistic evidence and collaboration with Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, and Lakeside police, determined the suspects were part of an organized criminal enterprise involved in weapons offenses across the metro area. Chavez was arrested by Aurora’s SWAT Team, while Melgares, Velarde, and the minor were apprehended in Jefferson County with assistance from the Jefferson County SWAT Team.

• November 21, 2024: Domestic Violence and Shooting in South Aurora

  On November 21, 2024, a domestic violence incident in south Aurora’s District 3 escalated into a shooting around 10:45 p.m. The suspect, 39-year-old Jason Woolley, a white male from Aurora, was involved in a violent altercation with a 39-year-old woman. Woolley, armed with a stolen handgun, assaulted the woman, prompting a 17-year-old male to intervene. During the confrontation, multiple shots were fired, striking Woolley multiple times and accidentally hitting the woman once. Both were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries; the woman was treated and released, while Woolley remained hospitalized. Upon release, Woolley will be booked into Aurora Municipal Detention Center on domestic violence and weapons-related charges, including unlawful possession of a stolen firearm. The female victim and the 17-year-old, who is not facing charges, are not identified per agency policy. The Aurora Police Department continues to investigate this incident, which highlights the dangers of domestic violence involving illegal firearms.

  
  Jason Woolley

• November 28, 2024: Officer-Involved Shooting Near South Dawson Way

  On November 28, 2024, Aurora police officers responded to reports of gunfire at an apartment complex in the 900 block of South Dawson Way around 9:25 p.m. Residents reported a man firing shots in the parking lot. At 9:50 p.m., officers located the suspect, 32-year-old Arnadin Varupa, a white male from Denver, near S. Sable Blvd and E. Kentucky Dr., matching witness descriptions and holding a handgun. Despite multiple commands to drop the weapon, Varupa fired several rounds at the officers, who returned fire, striking him. Varupa sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was hospitalized. No officers were injured, and a handgun was recovered. Varupa was arrested on November 30 and booked into Aurora Detention Center on five counts of attempted murder of a police officer. The six involved officers were placed on paid administrative leave. The incident is under investigation by the Aurora Police Major Crime Homicide Unit, the 18th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, and APD’s Internal Investigations Bureau.

  
  Arnadin Varupa

• November 26, 2024: Weapons Arrest on South Havana Street

  On November 26, 2024, Aurora Police Department Gang Intervention Unit officers arrested three Black male suspects in the 800 block of South Havana Street around 8:40 p.m. Officers observed a verbal argument between two men, one armed with a handgun, who then entered a white Jeep with expired registration alongside another man and a woman. After a traffic stop, the three men—Isaiah Lamond Hughes, 22, Raheim Pure Kyser, 23, and Adonai Madimba Kalala, 22, all from Denver—were detained on active felony warrants. A search of the Jeep revealed three firearms, including .40- and .45-caliber handguns with extended magazines and a 9mm handgun with a 50-round drum magazine, one confirmed stolen. Hughes faces charges of possession of a weapon by a previous offender, possession of a prohibited large capacity magazine, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, plus warrants for attempted strangulation and motor vehicle theft. Kyser and Kalala were booked on warrants for robbery, parole violation, obstructing medical personnel, and obstructing telephone service. The woman was released.

  
  Isaiah Lamond Hughes, Raheim Pure Kyser, and Adonai Madimba Kalala

• July 28, 2024: Nonfatal Shooting on South Havana Street

  On July 28, 2024, a nonfatal shooting occurred near South Havana Street and East Idaho Place in Aurora around 11:45 p.m. An on-duty Aurora police officer in a marked unit reported hearing gunfire while driving south on Havana Street, believing his vehicle was struck. Ten minutes later, a man self-transported to a hospital with a gunshot wound, reporting he was on the sidewalk in the 1500 block of South Havana Street when he was shot. The Aurora Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Unit identified a rolling gunfight between a black Land Rover SUV and a white Ford F150, involving four additional victims caught in the crossfire. Forensic analysis linked shell casings to other shootings that day in Aurora and Denver. Three Hispanic suspects—Jose Daniel Gimenez-Chacin, 23, Alonzo Lara, 29, and Yilbert Fransua Maldonado-Moncada, 29—were charged with six counts of attempted first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree assault, and one count of first-degree assault. Gimenez-Chacin and Lara were arrested in October, while Maldonado-Moncada, in ICE custody, was charged in December.

  
  Jose Daniel Gimenez-Chacin, Alonzo Lara, and Yilbert Fransua Maldonado-Moncada

• December 27, 2024: Narcotics Arrest at Local Mall

  On December 27, 2024, Aurora Police Department Gang Intervention Unit officers arrested two Black male suspects during a narcotics investigation at a local mall parking lot. The primary suspect, 28-year-old Abel Gebretsadik, had an active felony warrant from Douglas District Court for fentanyl distribution and known gang ties. Officers, aware of his history of fleeing, developed a plan to apprehend him, successfully taking him into custody. The second suspect, 31-year-old Majid Ahmed, was arrested on a misdemeanor theft warrant from Arapahoe County Court. During the investigation, officers seized over an ounce of crack cocaine in distribution baggies, more than $7,000 in cash, and a 3D-printed firearm capable of firing .22-caliber ammunition. Gebretsadik faces charges in Arapahoe District Court of two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a felony, and two counts of misdemeanor obstruction of a peace officer. Both were booked into Aurora Detention Center, Gebretsadik on his felony charges and Ahmed on his warrant.

  
  Abel Gebretsadik and Majid Ahmed

• February 8, 2025: Nonfatal Shooting at Skating Rink Parking Lot

  On February 8, 2025, a nonfatal shooting occurred in a skating rink parking lot in the 15100 block of East Girard Avenue in west Aurora around 5:15 p.m. Aurora police responded and found a teenage girl with a gunshot wound, performing lifesaving actions until medical responders arrived. She was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. A second victim, a teenage boy, was driven to a hospital with serious injuries before police arrived; both victims were treated and released. Officers recovered shell casings of different calibers and two firearms believed to be used in the shooting. The Aurora Police Department Gun Violence Suppression Team arrested two Black male suspects: 18-year-old Jayden Martin on February 20, and a 16-year-old on February 18. Both face charges in Arapahoe District Court of eight counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree assault. The minor also faces charges of unlawful possession of a handgun by a juvenile and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. Martin is held on $1 million bond, the minor on $300,000.

  
  Jayden Martin

• July 21, 2024 - February 24, 2025: Series of Armed Robberies

  Between July 21, 2024, and February 24, 2025, six armed robberies occurred in Aurora, with five at a Shell gas station at 3385 South Tower Road and one at a 7-Eleven at 18883 East Hampden Avenue. The Aurora Police Department Gang Robbery Investigative Team arrested 20-year-old Ross Woessner, a Black male from Aurora, on March 5, 2025. Woessner faces charges of aggravated robbery and menacing with a firearm, both felonies, and is held at Aurora Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. The robberies involved Woessner allegedly brandishing a firearm to intimidate employees, stealing cash and goods. The most recent robbery on February 24 prompted intensified efforts by detectives, who followed numerous leads and conducted a search of Woessner’s residence on March 5, recovering property linked to the crimes. The Aurora Police Department’s persistent investigation highlights their focus on addressing gang-related robbery, a growing concern in the area, with Woessner’s arrest marking a significant step in curbing this crime spree.

  
  Ross Woessner

• March 11, 2025: Fatal Shooting on East Bethany Drive

  On March 11, 2025, a fatal shooting occurred in a parking lot in the 10800 block of East Bethany Drive in west Aurora around 9:45 p.m. Aurora police responded and found 23-year-old Yousef Jamal Elnaffar with a gunshot wound. Despite lifesaving efforts, Elnaffar died at a hospital. The Arapahoe County Coroner confirmed his identity. The investigation revealed Elnaffar was there for an online marketplace transaction to sell shoes when he was shot. Two Hispanic male suspects were arrested: 19-year-old Kevin Hernandez-Gonzalez of Franktown on March 11, charged with second-degree murder and aggravated robbery, and 19-year-old Isaac Delacruz of Parker on March 13, charged with first-degree murder and aggravated robbery. Both were booked into Aurora Municipal Detention Center. The arrests involved Aurora police’s fugitive unit, SWAT Team, and partner agencies like the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and Denver Police Department. Detectives are investigating the suspects for other metro-area robberies, but consider this an isolated incident with no outstanding suspects.

  
  Isaac Delacruz and Kevin Hernandez-Gonzalez

• March 21, 2025: Fatal Shooting on East Adriatic Drive

  On March 21, 2025, a fatal shooting occurred in the 17100 block of East Adriatic Drive in Aurora around 10:15 p.m. Aurora police responded and found a 40-year-old man with a gunshot wound. Despite lifesaving efforts, the victim, identified by the Arapahoe County Coroner as Darnell Robinson, died at a hospital. The Aurora Police Department Major Crimes Homicide Unit arrested two Black male suspects, 45-year-old Laneidra Williams-Whitehead and his son, 24-year-old Jamir Williams, both of Aurora, on March 22 following extensive investigative work and surveillance with assistance from local and federal agencies. Both were booked into Aurora Municipal Detention Center on charges of first-degree murder, with formal charges pending from the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The investigation revealed that Williams-Whitehead and the victim were in a relationship and had a domestic dispute earlier that evening. Later, Jamir Williams arrived, confronted the victim, and shot him with a handgun during the confrontation, resulting in the fatal incident.

  
  Laneidra Williams-Whitehead and Jamir Williams

• April 4, 2025: Nonfatal Shooting on Peoria Street

  On April 4, 2025, a nonfatal shooting occurred at a gas station in the 3200 block of Peoria Street in Aurora around 10 p.m. The victim, who sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, and five associates were filming a music video when a white SUV fired multiple rounds at them, sounding like automatic gunfire. The Aurora Police Department arrested 18-year-old Mark Jackson, a Black male, on April 8 after locating the suspect vehicle, a 2003 white Chevrolet Suburban, near East Quincy Avenue and South Parker Road. Jackson fled during a traffic stop but was apprehended after a foot pursuit, with officers using a Taser. A female passenger was also arrested. Officers recovered a 9mm Glock 19 with a switch converting it to fully automatic—believed to be the weapon used—and a .40-caliber Taurus Millenium G2. Jackson, on parole for a 2023 weapons conviction and free on bond for an October 2024 carjacking, faces charges of possession of a weapon by a previous offender, possession of a prohibited large capacity magazine, possession of a dangerous weapon, vehicular eluding, and reckless driving.

  
  Mark Jackson

Analysis: Suspect Demographics and Systemic Issues

Lewis Loflin notes a significant overrepresentation of non-white suspects in these 16 incidents involving 33 suspects. Black males, 48.5% of suspects (16/33), were involved in 56.3% of incidents (9/16), while Hispanic males, 42.4% (14/33), accounted for 31.3% (5/16). Asian males were 3.0% (1/33) in 6.3% of incidents (1/16), and white males, just 6.1% (2/33), were in 12.5% (2/16). Aurora’s population is approximately 55% white, 16% Black, and 29% Hispanic (2023 U.S. Census), yet Black and Hispanic males are disproportionately represented in these crimes. Loflin attributes this to a criminal subculture marked by gang activity and drug-related violence, compounded by systemic failures. Many suspects, like Mark Jackson and Brandon Sutton, had prior records but remained free, reflecting leniency in Colorado’s justice system. Per 2022 CBI data, Black males, 2.05% of Colorado’s population, account for 20-27% of violent crime arrests, a trend these cases mirror.

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References

• “APD News Releases 2022–2025,” Aurora Police Department.
• “Crime in Colorado 2022,” Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
• “Aurora Demographic Data 2023,” U.S. Census Bureau.

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