Suspect in LoDo murder beat 2 at random before beating another person to death, police say

DENVER – The man accused of assaulting two people and killing another Friday in downtown Denver apparently beat two people in a random attack and was still hitting the victim who eventually died when police arrived at the scene, police documents show.

The Denver Police Department on Monday released the probable cause arrest statement identifying Dejuan Stamps, 28, as the suspect in the assaults and murder, which happened in the early-morning hours Friday near 24^th Avenue and Curtis Street.

Stamps is being held for investigating on a first-degree murder charge, police said.

The probable cause statement for Stamps’ arrest says that officers were first called out just after 4 a.m. to 25^th and Curtis on a report of an assault in progress.

When they arrived, they found two people, both 18 years old, who “had been assaulted in an apparent random attack,” according to the documents.

At least one of the two assault victims had “significant facial injuries,” police wrote.

A person at the scene pointed officers over to 24^th and Curtis, saying that is where the suspect was.

The probable cause statement says that once officers got a block over, they saw Stamps standing next to the victim, “continually striking the victim in the chest with force.”

The victim was shouting something, according to the documents, but exactly what was said was redacted in the copy provided by the police department.

Stamps allegedly continued hitting the victim until officers challenged him, after which he “rushed” the officers, according to the probable cause statement.

The two assault victims were hospitalized for evaluation, and the person who police saw Stamps beating died shortly after being taken to Denver Health.

Stamps was also taken to a nearby hospital and was placed on an investigative hold for first-degree murder charges.

Stamps pleaded guilty to felony menacing in 2012 in exchange for having an assault with a deadly weapon charge dropped. He was also arrested April 19 for theft between $2,000 and $5,000, and a third-degree assault charge. The latest case is still pending in court.

Stamps also has a handful of minor driving citations and marijuana possession charges.

It’s unclear when he’s next due in court or what additional charges he may face. The Denver District Attorney’s Office will determine his formal charges.

None of the victims have been identified so far.