1977 murder case reopened as Denver investigators find suspect in Texas
An 84-year-old man has been arrested in Texas and taken to Denver on suspicion that he shot and killed a man in downtown Denver in 1977.
The murder happened at the Denampa Bar on June 21, 1977, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office. (The bar was at 2305 Larimer Street.)
A suspect, Benito Soto, was identified at the time and sought for arrest. Soto had been arguing with another man, Armando Garcia, before leaving the bar. He returned shortly afterward, the affidavit states, and shot Garcia twice.
Soto fled the city and “the case went cold,” according to the DA’s office.
Recently, the Denver Police Department’s fugitive-tracking unit located Soto in Texas, according to the DA’s office, and the case was re-opened. Investigators spoke to several witnesses and to Soto himself.
Investigators used a governor’s warrant to bring Soto back to Denver, where he’s now being held without bond in the city jail.
Ken Lane, a spokesman for the DA’s office, said he could not disclose how Soto was located or why the case came back up.

An Asian community center in Aurora was vandalized. In less than a week, the community tripled its repairs fundraising campaign goal

Denver officials just shut down an East Colfax motel that had been a chaotic home to people without one

Things to do in Denver this weekend, Sept. 29-Oct.1

See the future of Denargo Market, a 17-acre development bringing thousands of new residents near downtown Denver

Live jazz returns to the old Chapultepec venue Friday night. Organizers say the special performance is about more than just the music

A new mural representing the Asian diaspora’s reach in the West will be unveiled at the Auraria Campus this weekend

Finding a restroom or water fountain isn’t easy in Denver — especially if you don’t have a home. A new report shows how the unhoused get by

Denver’s considering reallocating nearly $15 million toward mayor’s goal of housing 1,000 people

Denverites will soon be able to fly directly to Monterrey, Mexico

Spike in eviction assistance calls leaves housing nonprofit Brothers Redevelopment ‘floored’

RTD’s A Line will still be called the ‘A Line’ because no one wanted to pay to rename it

Four painters will battle it out at the Black Love Mural Festival at RiNo’s Art Park this Saturday

We’re telling scary stories in October. You should join us (if you dare)

Man charged in August shooting at Logan Street homeless encampment that was later swept by city

At Denver’s sanctioned campsites, a model similar to Mike Johnston’s micro communities, roughly half of residents return to homelessness

Anna Sie remembered as trailblazing philanthropist across the state

Denver pedestrians give a collective shrug to CDOT’s ‘neon navigators’ safety campaign

A demo company wants to raze this Park Hill mansion on Montview for development. Will Denver save it?

Here’s how to have your say on RTD service changes that will go into effect January 2024
