Murder Suspect Anthony Franchitti Had Defense Attorney At Scene When Police Arrived
LAFAYETTE, Colo (CBS4) - A 37-year-old Lafayette man was arrested June 3 for his role in a suspected homicide. Police were called to the scene at 12161 Flagg Drive the day before.
According to the arrest affidavit, Anthony Robert Franchitti was standing at the scene when officers arrived. He had his criminal defense attorney at his side.
Franchitti's defense attorney, in fact, had placed the call to 911, according to the arrest affidavit. She told dispatchers that a man had been shot and was not responding to CPR.
Also at the scene were Franchitti's girlfriend and another defense attorney.
Inside the home, Lafayette Police Department officers found the body of a man lying face down in the doorway of a bedroom. There was a pool of blood around his head, according to the affidavit.
A handgun and three spent shell casings were found nearby.
Those details, plus the fact "there appears to be some amount of that had transpired" between the deceased's death and the call placed to 911, investigators applied for and were granted a search warrant for the entire property.
Franchitti's girlfriend is a resident there, the affidavit stated.
The dead man is 34 years old, but his identity has not been publicly released by the coroner's office. The affidavit states that three gunshot wounds were found on the man's body during an autopsy, including one which entered at armpit level in his back.
Investigators also found a .40-caliber handgun and a partially loaded magazine in the saddle bags of Franchitti's 2018 Harley Davidson motorcycle. The ammunition matched the type of shell casings found near the body, per the affidavit.
Additionally, investigators noted cleaning supplies - a mop and bucket of water, a carpet cleaning machine, and several containers of bleach - items which were distinct given the "generally unclean" condition of the house, as stated in the affidavit.
Franchitti was formally charged with 1st Degree Murder on Wednesday. He is scheduled to appear in court July 8 for a preliminary hearing.