Colorado Springs Police Department: Update To Homicide Investigation: 1900 Block Of South Chelton Road

Press release from the Colorado Springs Police Department:

2022-01-14

Update

On January 10, 2022, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office completed the autopsies for both deceased males. The decedents have been identified as 13-year-old Marcus Venezio-Hernandez and 15-year-old Nevean Tafoya, both residents of Pueblo, Colorado. Mr. Venezio-Hernandez’s and Mr. Tafoya’s deaths were ruled homicides.

Mr. Venezio-Hernandez’s and Mr. Tafoya’s deaths are the first and second homicide investigations in the City of Colorado Springs in 2022. The CSPD investigated zero homicides at this time last year.

Anyone with information or who is a witness to this investigation is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000; or if you wish to remain anonymous, you may call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.

Original release

On January 9, 2022, at approximately 1:19 A.M., the Colorado Springs Police Department’s (CSPD) communication center received multiple calls reporting shots fired in the 1900 block of South Chelton Road. CSPD patrol officers were immediately dispatched to the area and located several individuals with gunshot wounds. The officers also located two juvenile males deceased on scene. The injured individuals were treated and released from a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. There were a total of three people transported, two adults and one juvenile. 

At approximately 1:24 A.M., the communication center received a call for service from the 2400 block of Lexington Village Lane reporting that a juvenile male had arrived at a private residence with apparent gunshot wounds. Officers along with medical personnel arrived and the juvenile male was transported to a local hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.  This male was admitted for ongoing medical treatment.

Detectives from CSPD’s Violent Crime Section responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation into the shooting.  Multiple interviews have been conducted and investigators have determined that the juvenile male contacted on Lexington Village Lane was involved in the shooting that occurred several minutes before on South Chelton Road.  While the El Paso County Coroner’s Office will make the cause and manner of death determination, this case is being investigated as a homicide.  The names of the deceased individuals will not be released until they have been positively identified by the coroner and next of kin notifications have been made.  No arrests have been made at this time and it is an active and open investigation.  Further updates will be released in the future as appropriate.

Anyone with information or who is a witness to this investigation is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000; or if you wish to remain anonymous, you may call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.

This press release was produced by the Colorado Springs Police Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.