Leadville Man Sentenced to 36 Years Prison for Murdering Girlfriend

John Bryan • Aug 30, 2022

LEADVILLE, Colo. – Jesus Alejandro Artica, 34, of Leadville, was sentenced today to 36 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for murdering his girlfriend, Yolanda Lacome, 35. Artica pleaded guilty to the charge of 2^nd degree murder on July 7, 2022. As part of this plea deal, he cannot ask for a reduction in today’s maximum sentencing, but will receive credit for time served (595 days).

On Jan. 12, 2021, Leadville Police and Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Mt. Massive Townhomes after dispatch received a call from an unknown male saying he had shot someone. Officers began clearing units at the scene, before nearby residents provided pictures of Artica going from Unit #5 to Unit #21; and, he was identified as the gunman. After one witness walked out of Unit #21, he admitted Artica was in the same unit. Artica eventually walked out of that unit with his hands up, and was arrested immediately.

Ms. Lacome was found in Unit #5, alive with a gunshot wound to her head. She was taken to St. Vincent Family Health Center, but later died of her injuries.

Artica has a long criminal history, to include charges of theft, drug and alcohol use, domestic violence and assault. He was on parole from the Colo. Dept. of Corrections when he murdered Ms. Lacome.

“I would like to thank the efforts of the Leadville Police Department, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for their quick response to the scene and solid investigation. Our thoughts are with Ms. Lacome’s family and friends, and we hope that today’s sentencing begins to help heal their grief for this overwhelming loss,” said Heidi McCollum, 5^th Judicial District Attorney.

-DA5-

< Older Post Newer Post >

Mail

Next CVC Meeting is April 15th, 9am

By John Bryan • 13 Apr, 2024

OVER 700 OF THE NATION’S PROSECUTORS CALL ON CONGRESS TO AVERT FUNDING CUTS TO VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT (VOCA) GRANTS

By John Bryan • 14 Mar, 2024

Crime Victim Compensation Program to host monthly, annual meetings March 18th at 9am/10am

By John Bryan • 12 Mar, 2024

New Paragraph

Man Found Guilty in Co-Worker’s 2019 Death

By John Bryan • 08 Mar, 2024

Breckenridge, Colo. (Summit County) – Miles Fernando Tovar, 40, of Breckenridge, was found guilty today by a jury of: Reckless Manslaughter (F4), and 1 st Degree Criminal Trespass (F5) related to a 2019 incident involving the death of his (then) co-worker, Brendan Rye. The jury found him not guilty of: 1 st Degree Burglary (F3), and another charge of 1 st Degree Criminal Trespass. During the investigation of the death by the Breckenridge Police Department, an arrest warrant was issued for Defendant Tovar in February 2022, and he later turned himself in to the U.S. Marshals Service in Bridgeport, Conn., in October 2022. He was extradited back to Summit County, Colo., to face charges here. Background On Nov. 6, 2019, at 9:48pm, a co-worker called 9-1-1 to report Mr. Rye was unconscious and not breathing in a condominium they were all living in while renovating it (in Breckenridge). Upon arrival, law enforcement found Mr. Rye laying unresponsive in the bathroom. He was later pronounced deceased. Tovar, Rye and the reporting party were all temporarily living in the condo while they renovated it as subcontractors. The owner of the unit lived nearby and invited the men to have dinner in his condo as a thank you for their hard work. Tovar became heavily intoxicated during the evening dinner, and the condo owner asked him to leave. Tovar kept returning to the owner’s residence for various reasons, and Mr. Rye would step in and physically lead Tovar away and back to their unit, several times that night. This apparently led to the deadly confrontation between Tovar and Rye. At some point, the reporting party heard loud ‘pops’ inside the unit. Tovar had been shot in the leg once, and Rye’s death was ruled a homicide by manual strangulation. 5 th Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum said, “We appreciate the efforts of the Breckenridge Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service in bringing this defendant to answer for the crimes he committed. Mr. Rye’s family and friends have waited more than four years for this justice, and I sincerely hope this is one more step in their healing process.” Tovar will be sentenced on May 9, 2024, at 10:30am. He faces one to three years in the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) for the criminal trespass conviction, and two to six years for reckless manslaughter (in the DOC). -DA5- ALL PERSONS CHARGED WITH CRIMES ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL THE CONTRARY IS PROVEN IN A COURT OF LAW.