Man Sentenced For Murder Of Rotasha Pryor-Thomas In Lakewood

JEFFERSON COUNTY, CO — A man was sentenced to life in prison plus 17 and a half years without the possibility of parole for the murder of 32-year-old Rotasha Pryor-Thomas in Lakewood, the 1st Judicial District Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

Jarvis Rondale Gates, 39, was found guilty in late April of first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and tampering with physical evidence, the DA's office said.

Lakewood police were called to the Chalet Motel, 6051 West Alameda Ave., Nov. 2, 2019, after a report of a suspicious death. Police found Pryor-Thomas dead in the bathtub, with the water running and overflowing onto the floor, prosecutors said. Gates was arrested several days later in connection with her death.

Pryor-Thomas died of asphyxiation on the night of Oct. 31, prosecutors said.

“It is important for the court to know that Mr. Gates does not appear before us as a first-time felon, or a first-time domestic violence offender,” Senior Deputy Attorney Tyra Forbes told the court during sentencing.

There was a 2015 case that was similar to what happened to Pryor-Thomas, Forbes said. Gates received probation for the crime and was required to complete domestic violence treatment.

“He still went on to murder Rotasha,” Forbes said.

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Forbes asked that in honor of Pryor-Thomas’ life, the judge hand Gates the maximum sentence.

Dressed in Pryor-Thomas' favorite color of purple, family members also addressed the court and spoke of her as a mother, daughter, granddaughter and niece.

Tamika Galloway, Pryor-Thomas' aunt, told the court, “Rotasha was the light of our family.”