A Federal Heights man was convicted of first-degree murder and a slew of other charges for three shootings that happened on the same night in Aurora, according to the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office.
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Nelson Francisco Miranda-Rivas, 29, will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a jury convicted him of first- and second-degree murder, eight counts of attempted murder, assault, attempted aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery for the Feb. 13, 2023 shootings.
The first shooting happened at Highline Park when a man sleeping in his vehicle was approached by three men who shot him four times, including twice in the face, after he refused to open his door, the DA’s office said.
Police responded to a second shooting at a home on Idalia Circle where Joaquin Orellana-Orellana, 30, was inside cooking dinner with his nephew. At 10:45 p.m., officers were called to a third shooting at Pitchers sports bar, 1670 S Chambers Road, and found Orellana-Orellana dead from multiple gunshot wounds inside his vehicle in the parking lot.
Detectives used mobile phone data to track Miranda-Rivas to each location and matched shell casings between the scenes, the district attorney’s office said in a news release.
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“This defendant committed horrific acts of violence, and my team worked relentlessly to make sure the evidence was heard in court and that he would be held accountable,” District Attorney Amy Padden said in a statement. “Today, he has been convicted, and he will not walk free to hurt another victim or another family. That is the justice these victims and their loved ones deserve.”
Miranda-Rivas’ sentencing is set for Sept. 14. He was represented by the Colorado Office of the State Public Defender, which does not comment on criminal cases.
He is also charged with first-degree murder in a July 4, 2023, shooting where a Denver motorcyclist was fatally shot while being chased by a truck on Interstate 70. His next court date in that case was not available Tuesday.
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