Fort Collins man hit on I-25 near Mead arrested on suspicion of murder
A Fort Collins man hit by a van on Interstate near Mead while fleeing from police earlier this month was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in the shooting death and burning of a Greeley resident Isaac Valdez-Salvador was identified as a suspect after the Poudre Canyon Volunteer Fire Department uncovered the body of an obviously deceased person on fire under a bridge at the Stevens Gulch picnic area off of Colorado in the early hours of April according to the Larimer County Sheriff s Office The man s body was later identified as Gerardo Hernandez Lucio and the coroner s office ruled his death a homicide from a gunshot wound to the head Valdez-Salvador was identified as a suspect through additional information and forensic evidence the sheriff s office mentioned in a news release Wednesday Related Articles Denver man pleads guilty to murder in -year-old s death after gun sale Denver man killed while helping friend pick up kids from school police say arrested in fatal Green Valley Ranch shooting that caused rollover crash Man charged in Denver teen s murder sentenced to years in prison Former Clear Creek County sheriff s deputy sentenced to years in prison for killing Christian Glass Investigators believe Valdez-Salvador and a second suspect -year-old Juana Espino of Evans knew Lucio and killed him several days before setting his body on fire according to the agency Larimer County sheriff s deputies tried to contact Valdez-Salvador in Loveland on April but he sped away at over mph passing vehicles on the shoulder and hitting traffic cones in construction areas as he fled He stopped on I- near Mead because of a flat tire got out of the car with a gun and ran across the highway After jumping the median he was hit by a northbound wagon and seriously injured Valdez-Salvador is recovering at a hospital and will be booked into the Weld County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder conspiracy to commit first-degree murder tampering with a body motor wagon theft eluding and tampering with evidence all felonies according to the sheriff s office Espino was arrested Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder conspiracy tampering with evidence and a weapons charge all felonies The probe is ongoing and anyone with information about the development can contact Investigator Ryan Gebhardt at - - Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day
