A WOMAN WHO WAS INITIALLY CHARGED AS AN ACCESSORY TO A SHOOTING DEATH IN GLENWOOD SPRINGS LAST YEAR, WAS IN DISTRICT COURT YESTERDAY TO ENTER A PLEA – THIS TIME CHARGED AS AN ACCOMPLICE AND FACING A CHARGE OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
MICHELLE CASTILLO PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN THE DEATH OF BLANCA SALAS-JURADO, WHO WAS FOUND WITH MULTIPLE GUNSHOT WOUNDS IN HER APARTMENT SOUTH OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS LAST OCTOBER. PROSECUTORS SAY THAT SALAS-JURADO WAS KILLED BY HER ESTRANGED HUSBAND AND FATHER OF HER 3-YEAR OLD SON, GUSTAVO OLIVO-TELLEZ. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE KILLING STEMMED FROM DOMESTIC DISAGREEMENTS OVER OLIVO-TELLEZ DATING CASTILLO, AND THREATS BY SALAS-JURADO TO PREVENT OLIVO-TELLEZ FROM SEEING HIS SON IF THE RELATIONSHIP CONTINUED.
CASTILLO HAD INITIALLY STRUCK A PLEA DEAL WITH PROSECUTORS, BUT THAT DEAL WAS SCUTTLED WHEN INVESTIGATORS SAY SHE LIED DURING AN INTERVIEW, AND THE FULL SCOPE OF HER INVOLVEMENT BECAME CLEAR. CASTILLO IS ACCUSED OF PICKING UP OLIVO-TELLEZ ON THE FRONT RANGE AND BRINGING HIM TO GLENWOOD SPRINGS ON THE DAY OF THE MURDER, PURCHASING THE AMMUNITION USED IN THE SHOOTING, AND FLEEING TOWN WITH HIM AFTERWARD. THOSE ACTIONS LED PROSECUTORS TO SUCESSFULLY WITHDRAW THE PLEA DEAL AND CHARGE CASTILLO WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
THE DISTRICT COURT SET CASTILLO’S TRIAL TO BEGIN ON JANUARY 8TH OF NEXT YEAR, AND OLIVO-TELLEZ IS EXPECTED TO GO ON TRIAL IN FEBRUARY.
