DENVER – The suspect in the killings of a man, woman and their daughter at a home in Denver this week appeared in Denver County Court on Sunday and will continue to be held in custody without bond.
A restraining order was also filed against Bustaman Kartabrata, 59, barring him from contacting anyone related to the victims. His next court date hasn't been set.
Kartabrata, who is being held at the Denver County Jail, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths, which happened Thursday night at a home in the 3000 block of South Golden Way, in southwest Denver, police said. Kartabrata was arrested at a home in northeast Denver later that night.
Officials haven't released the names of the victims, but neighbors identified them as a family that had just closed on their home and was planning to move out of state, as the father dealt with health issues. The couple's daughter was an elementary school student at nearby Traylor Academy, and the father drove a school bus, neighbors said. Their son was home at the time of the shooting and escaped unharmed.
Police Chief of Investigations Joseph Montoya said Friday that Kartabrata knew the victims "very well," but investigators were still working to determine what led up to the shooting and whether he was related to the victims.
"It was some sort of conflict that occurred that evening that led to this," Montoya said.
Denver Public Schools Superintendent Susana Cordova released a statement Friday afternoon about "the loss of three members of the Traylor Academy and Denver Public Schools family."
"Our entire school district is saddened by this news," Cordova said. "We send our condolences to the family and friends of those who passed away."
