A Fort Collins man has been sentenced to 52 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for a violent 2022 hostage incident that deeply impacted a local family and mobilized an extensive emergency response.
Rick Edward Murphy received his sentence this week after pleading guilty in September 2025 to three felony charges: Second Degree Kidnapping (class 3), Second Degree Assault (class 4), and Criminal Attempt to Commit First Degree Assault (class 4). The plea and sentencing were secured by the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office serving Larimer and Jackson counties.
The case stems from a December 12, 2022, incident in which Fort Collins Police Services responded to a 911 call from a local residence. According to the DA’s office, Murphy—who was known to the homeowners—confronted one of the victims outside the home, produced a handgun, and forced him back inside. The homeowner’s wife hid with their 8-year-old child while remaining on the phone with 911 dispatch, which recorded the entire event…