AURORA, Colo. -- Nine months after an ambush shooting killed two Colorado State University graduates, indictments have finally been handed down in the case, the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

An Arapahoe County grand jury issued a 21-count indictment against three people in connection with the June 20, 2005, slayings of Javad Marshall-Fields and his fiance, Vivian Wolfe.

Named in the indictments were Robert Keith Ray, Parish Ramone Carter and Sir Mario Owens. All three are in custody on other charges.

All three suspects face charges of first- and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, intimidation of and retaliation against a witness, and distribution of narcotics. A first-degree murder conviction carries the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

Ray, 20, also faces charges of solicitation to commit murder and retaliation.

Carter, 24, and Owens, 21, also face charges of aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim; and retaliation against a witness or victim.

Marshall-Fields and Wolfe, both 22, were driving their car through an Aurora intersection when they were ambushed. Their car was shot more than a dozen times. They died instantly in a hail of gunfire at the Dayton and Idaho Place intersection.

Marshall-Fields was a witness in a July 4, 2004, slaying in Aurora, and was killed a week before he was scheduled to testify against Ray, who was facing an accessory to murder charge in that case.

Ray, Carter and Owens had been named earlier by authorities as "persons of interest" in the double slaying. Owens, who is also charged in the July Fourth shooting at Lowry Park, was recently extradited from Louisiana, where he was arrested.

For the victims' families, news of the indictments come as a huge relief but it's also bittersweet because they realize that the indictments are just the beginning. The families still have to endure a trial.

Nevertheless, the families say, the indictments send a loud message.

"We will not allow criminals to control our courtrooms or our streets. We must make Colorado a safe place for people to speak out against any violent crime they witness," said Rhonda Fields, Javad's mother.

Christine Wolfe, Vivian's mother, said the emotions she had Thursday were just as strong as when she learned that her daughter had been killed.

"We feel like it happened a few days ago. So it never goes away. It's getting stronger because we miss them. Everytime we turn around, we see her there or see him there," Wolfe said.

Police say people who had information about the murder of the two sweethearts would not come forward for fear of retaliation, since it's believed that Marshall-Fields was killed because he was scheduled to testify in the other murder case.

Even though investigators had been on the case nine months and conducted hundreds of interviews, it took a grand jury to force people to talk. Over three months, more than 50 people were called to testify in front of the grand jury.

The grand jury also indicted Markeeta Ray and Marcus Ramsey for perjury during the grand jury testimony. They are not in custody and police are asking for the public's help to find them. If you know of their whereabouts, you are asked to call the Aurora Police Department at (303) 739-6092.