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Person killed in reported Denver home invasion; nearby police investigate reported burglaries

Police in Denver, Greenwood Village working scenes
Posted at 8:25 AM, May 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-17 00:30:05-04

DENVER – Police in Denver are looking for a suspect or suspects involved in what neighbors say was a deadly home invasion in south Denver near the Tech Center early Tuesday morning.

Police say a person died just after midnight during the purported home invasion in the 3900 block of South Spruce Street. 

Although police have not been forthcoming with details, they do say the incident is being investigated as a homicide, and they found the person's body inside the home.

Neighbors told Denver7 they believe an elderly couple lives in the home, but the couple is currently on vacation. They believe someone else may have been watching the home at the time of the incident.

The age, gender or name of the victim have yet to be released. Police have not revealed how the victim died.

Later in the day, police located a vehicle they believe is connected to the homicide. The black Audi SUV was found parked near East 12th Avenue and Xenia Street, several miles north of the Spruce Street scene.

Police are currently looking for the suspect or suspects in the area and are going door-to-door asking residents if they saw anything.

Nearby burglaries investigated, possibly were violent

Police in the nearby area of Greenwood Village are investigating multiple residential burglaries, although they have not yet been connected to the home invasion in Denver. Police officials said they first received the calls to respond at 9:53 p.m. on Monday night.

The two separate scenes were on East Stanford Place and Alton Street.

At East Stanford Place, police say a male suspect attempted to open the window of the homeowner's bedroom whilst the homeowner was still inside. Police said nothing was stolen, even saying nothing had been taken from the home. 

Neighbors surrounding the Alton Street scene say the suspects involved in the Greenwood Village burglaries shot a dog in the jaw during one of the burglaries at a home in the 9100 block of Alton Street. The victims of the home break-in say they expect the surgery to cost $10,000, noting the suspects didn't take much from inside the home. 

No one was home at the time of that burglary, as the homeowners called police just after 8:30 a.m. after returning from a night away from home. 

"They knocked out five of her teeth, broke mandible bone and took out part of her tongue," a neighbor said, adding that another neighbor witnessed more.

“[There was a] black SUV parked here. She says she watched them for 15 minutes as they inched forward up the street," the neighbor said. 

A GoFundMe has already been launched to help pay for the dog's surgeries. If you're interested in donating, click here.

This is a developing story. This post will be updated as more information becomes available.