UPDATE — The three men who were found guilty in connection to this murder have been sentenced to prison.
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GOLDEN, Colo. — In November 2018, authorities in Golden found that three gang members had kidnapped a woman, shot her multiple times and then poured gasoline on the body before setting it on fire. And on Wednesday, those three men were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Abel Candy Gallegos, 36, of Lakewood, Alonso Quintana, 28, of Denver, and Rene Francisco Rosales, 36, of Lakewood, were all found guilty on multiple counts in connection to the death of 28-year-old Cymone Reyna Duran.
The First Judicial District Attorney's Office said in early 2018, Duran had identified Quintana in a line-up regarding a shooting in Adams County. Afterward, the men labeled her as a snitch.
On Nov. 5, 2018, Duran, who had been approached by Gallegos on social media, met with him, Rosales and some other people at a house in Denver. Duran, Gallegos, and Rosales left the house together and Rosales went home. Meanwhile, Gallegos took Duran to a parking lot at W. Colfax and Kipling, where he had previously arranged to meet with Quintana, according to the district attorney's office.
Quintana and Gallegos assaulted Duran and imprisoned her in the back of the car before they drove her to a dark, secluded spot at W. 7th Avenue and Nile Street in Golden. Outside the car, Gallegos and Quintana shot Duran 10 times, according to the district attorney's office. The men then left the area.
Later, Gallegos and Rosales came back to her body, poured gasoline on it and set it on fire, according to the district attorney's office.
Firefighters with the Pleasant View Fire Department found Duran's body around 1:30 a.m. after responding to a call about a brush fire at Nile Street and W. 7th Avenue. They found Duran's body and authorities determined that her death didn't appear to be accidental. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said the woman, who they identified as Duran a couple days after the murder, died of gunshot wounds.
The men were arrested individually on Nov. 8, 9 and 20, 2018. Gallegos was arrested on an unrelated charge before he was formally charged in connection to the homicide.
The family of Duran, who was a mother of two, said she was a warm, funny person. They said they want people to remember how Duran lived, not how she died.
Quintana was charged with:
- First-degree murder with intent/after deliberation
- First-degree murder
- Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
- Second-degree kidnapping
- Crime of violence (two counts)
- Retaliation against a witness or victim
- Violation of bail bond conditions
Gallegos was charged with:
- First-degree murder with intent/after deliberation
- First-degree murder
- Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
- Second-degree kidnapping
- Crime of violence (two counts)
- Retaliation against a witness or victim
- Tampering with a deceased human body
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Possession with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance
Rosales was charged with:
- Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
- Tampering with a deceased human body
- Accessory to a crime
- Tampering with physical evidence
The men were tried together in a three-week trial, where the jury heard from 50 witnesses and saw more than 400 pieces of evidence. The jury deliberated for four hours before returning their guilty verdict.
Gallegos was sentenced on Jan. 31 to the maximum life in prison plus 163 years.
Quintana's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24 at 8 a.m. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole as well.
Rosales will be sentenced on Feb. 24 at 1:15 p.m. While he doesn't face life in prison, the district attorney's office said he still could get a "significant prison sentence."
