Plea agreements reached in murder of five, burning of bodies in southern Colorado
Three men pleaded guilty last week to charges related to the murders of five people in southern Colorado more than three years ago.
The bodies of four murder victims were found in "burn pits" on two rural properties east of Sanford in Conejos County in November 2020. The fifth victims' body has not been recovered.
Twenty-nine-year-old Adre Baroz, believed to have played a leadership role in all five killings, pleaded guilty to all 13 charges filed against him - five counts of First Degree Murder and Tampering with a Deceased Human Body, plus three other felony counts of assault and kidnapping.
Baroz's older brother, 33-year-old Julius Baroz, pleaded guilty to a single charge of murder. A tampering charge against him was dismissed.
Francisco Ramirez, 41, pleaded guilty to three counts of tampering. He owned one of the properties where the burned remains of several bodies were found.
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The three men made their guilty pleas at the same Alamosa County court hearing Monday. They are scheduled to be sentenced at the same hearing in May.
The deceased:
- Selena Esquibel, 19, who was allegedly murdered because Adre Baroz believed she was publicizing a sexual assault he committed against her (that assault has not been confirmed).
- Xavier Zeven Garcia, 26, who reportedly died while trying to collect money from Adre Baroz for helping dispose of Esquibel's body. Per case documents, his remains have not been found.
- Myron Martinez, 38, who died while purchasing drugs from Adre Baroz.
- Shayla Hammel, 34, Martinez's girlfriend who was waiting in a car outside Baroz's apartment at the time Martinez was murdered. She was allegedly killed by Julius Baroz at his brother's behest.
- Korina Arroyo, 32, who was scheduled to testify in a drug case against Adre Baroz.
Families of several of the murder victims reported them missing in the days and months leading up to law enforcement's search of Adre Baroz's residence on Nov. 10, 2020.
Baroz fled but was captured in Gallup, New Mexico nine days later.
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A fourth suspect, 30-year-old Walter Dominguez, pleaded guilty more than a year ago to a single tampering charge. He was sentenced to 12 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.