Denver U.S. Army Vet To Stand Trial For Murder

DENVER, CO – A Denver U.S. Army veteran, who says he suffers from mental health and substance abuse issues, appeared in court this week, accused of fatally shooting a man who slept in his missing car.

Treven Mills, 34, was charged with first-degree murder in the Oct. 23 shooting death of Isaiah Joseph Martinez, 34, in an apartment building parking lot in the 4900 of East Warren Avenue. Mills pleaded not guilty June 6.

Mills was the owner of a white Mazda that was discovered by maintenance workers around 10 a.m. with the body of Martinez inside. Police released photos of Martinez and asked for any tipsters to come forward.

Mills had active warrants in Arapahoe County and was taken into custody the day after the shooting by Denver police, where he was questioned, according to an arrest affidavit.

Mills told police he had "mental health challenges" including hallucinations and paranoia and that he had served a number of combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He had been taken into custody numerous times for "mental health holds" he told officers. He recognized a photo of Martinez and told police that Martinez was one of many "drug dealers and gang members" that had been inside his home, the affidavit said.

A woman described as Mills' friend told police that Martinez had allegedly sold heroin to Mills and herself at a park, and that the three returned to Mills's home, in the 800 block of South Eliot Street, where the three "partied."

According to the affidavit, the woman and Martinez drove the white Mazda to the Warren Street apartment building around 7 p.m. Oct. 22. She told police Martinez smoked heroin and fell asleep in Mills's car, and she exited the car and a friend drove her back to Mills's home, the affidavit said. Later, Mills allegedly demanded to know where his car was located, and the woman, who told police she was afraid of him, drove with him in a pickup truck to the location where Martinez was reportedly still asleep in the Mazda.

She told police Mills brought a shotgun covered in a dark towel, and while she waited in the truck, she heard a "loud bang" and believed that Mills had shot Martinez. She said she began to scream, which was heard by a number of nearby residents, police said. She told police she started to drive away, but then saw Mills running to the truck, and stopped to pick him up. Police said on the affidavit that the woman said she had been smoking meth before talking to them.

Investigators said a surveillance camera from Highline Academy Elementary School at 2170 South Dahlia St., across from the apartment building, captured a dark-colored small vehicle which entered the parking lot of the apartment complex and then came to a stop. A few minutes later a person ran and got into the small pickup truck. Mills was the owner of a 2000 Chevy S-10 pickup, police said.

Mills has been in custody in the Denver County Jail since October on no bond. Attempts to contact Mills's lawyer at the Colorado State Public Defenders Office were not immediately answered. A jury trial in Denver District Court is scheduled to begin Oct. 30.

Image via Denver District Attorney's Office

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