Two men have now admitted to second-degree murder in the drive-by shooting that killed 19-year-old Dacien Salazar outside Denver’s Downtown Aquarium on Feb. 14, 2024. According to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, closing a long investigation that began after Salazar was gunned down while visiting the aquarium with friends.
According to Denver7, the defendants, 19-year-old Jason Trujillo and 21-year-old Antonio Vasquez, each pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder. Matt Jablow, spokesperson for the Denver District Attorney’s Office, confirmed the plea dates and the March 6 sentencing date. The two were originally arrested in May 2024 and were charged with first-degree murder in a news release from the Denver DA’s Office.
Salazar had traveled from Pueblo to Denver to visit the aquarium with two friends on Valentine’s Day, investigators said, according to CBS Colorado. As the group left the building, a black sedan pulled up and someone in the car opened fire. Salazar was the only person struck and later died at a hospital. Police initially said the attack did not appear to be random and urged the public to come forward with any information.
How Investigators Connected The Dots
Detectives linked the Denver shooting to an earlier incident in Pueblo by matching shell casings, according to a news release from the Denver DA’s Office. They also leaned on surveillance video and phone records to build their case…