District Attorney - Eighth Judicial District - Colorado

09/10/2026

Our facility dog, Zion, was one of the many from around the state who went to Evergreen immediately after the shooting.

We are so proud of how hard he works to support victims and are excited for Evergreen to have a facility dog of their own!

Evergreen High has two new members of its community -- two dogs whose presence has become part of the daily rhythm of the school, offering students and staff something they desperately needed after a shooting shattered their sense of safety.

09/10/2026

Today, following the 17-year prison sentence Dylan Miller received after his federal conviction, our office filed a motion to dismiss the concurrent case against Mr.Miller after an in-depth discussion with the victim and their family, an evaluation of the possible state penalty ranges, and other factors, which led to this resolution that recognizes the sentence already imposed and prioritizes the well-being of the victim.

Mr. Miller was arrested for First Degree Kidnapping (F2), Sexual Assault on a Child- Over 15 Years Old by one in a Position of Trust (F4), Unlawful Sexual Conduct by a Peace Officer (F3), Sexual Assault (F6), First Degree Official Misconduct (M1), and Official Oppression (M1) in August of 2023 after an extensive investigation sparked by the victim’s family contacting law enforcement.

Shortly after Mr. Miller was charged by our office in Colorado state court, the United States Attorney’s Office in Colorado worked with our office and local and federal law enforcement to file federal charges against Mr. Miller, including Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law based on the same criminal conduct

Collaborating with the United States Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement, we determined the defendant faced significantly stiffer penalties in the federal system because federal crimes carry higher sentencing ranges and stricter requirements to serve most of the imposed term. To maximize accountability, we therefore agreed to pause the state case and allow the federal case to proceed first.

The federal jury trial took place in November 2025, and prosecutors from the Larimer County DA’s office attended the trial and witnessed the victim’s incredible resilience in recounting a horrific and traumatizing crime and in undergoing hours of vigorous and at times quite hostile cross-examination. Despite repeated attacks and attempts to undermine her credibility, the victim was able to describe this traumatic experience for the jury in detail. A federal jury unanimously convicted Mr. Miller on December 2, 2025, and on April 13, 2026, Dylan Miller was sentenced to 17 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where he is currently incarcerated. The federal judge authorized the time to run concurrently with any future state sentence

Following his sentencing, we sat down with the victim’s family to discuss our options. Based on the reality of how prison time is calculated in the State of Colorado, even if a jury convicted Mr. Miller on every charge in our case, he would likely serve very little, if any, additional time beyond his current federal sentence. While the victim has shown remarkable resilience as she begins to heal and put this incident behind her, part of this healing was recognizing that another trial, requiring the victim to relive the assault once again and subjecting her to additional hostility, would not be the best option for her well-being, especially when keeping in mind the reality that Mr. Miller would be unlikely to face any additional prison time.

At no point has law enforcement or our office ever doubted the victim’s credibility; her strength throughout this process has been remarkable, and we would not hesitate to proceed to trial if we believed doing so would benefit community safety or find additional justice for the victim. After a long and thoughtful discussion, we decided to dismiss these charges, a decision fully supported by the victim and her family.

“Public trust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system is vital to the safety of our communities. When that trust is so heinously violated by someone in a position of power as it was here, our community and victims suffer immensely,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. “There is no sentence that would equal “justice” for what Dylan Miller did, but I am proud of the collaboration among local and federal law enforcement that brought these facts to light and sought maximum accountability under the law, laws which frankly were not written to comprehend how egregious these acts were. And most of all, I am proud of the victim in this case, who, despite enormous barriers and at great risk to herself, came forward to tell her story to a jury and help prevent future victims.”

We want to thank the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office for Colorado, who worked closely with us over the last three years to seek maximum accountability under the law, stand up for victims, and hold those in power accountable.

ChildSafe
https://www.childsafecolorado.org/

The Crawford Child Advocacy Center
https://crawfordcac.org/

Sexual Assault Victim Advocate (SAVA) Center
https://savacenter.org/

09/08/2026

Let’s talk choices.

Every decision you make leads you in a direction. Committing to your future, that’s a choice. Carrying a weapon is a choice with consequences you don’t walk away from.

What do you want to do in the future? How are you going to get there? What are you choosing today?

The newest video from the Larimer County Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition is out now. We are proud to partner with so many different agencies with one common goal keeping the youth of our community safe.

Learn more at larimer.gov/choices.

The Larimer County Juvenile Gun Safety Coalition, in partnership wi...

09/04/2026

A reminder that today is the final day to register for this year's Citizens Academy! There are only a couple of spots left, so register today!

Please click the link to complete this form.

09/03/2026

Today, Tylen Grays was sentenced to 36 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Murder in the Second Degree, a Class Two Felony, and Attempted Murder in the First Degree, a Class Two Felony.

On August 11th, 2024, Fort Collins Police Services were dispatched to Tony’s Bar in Old Town for reports of a shooting. There, they found a thirty-one-year-old male, Keiter Baez Morales, and a twenty-nine-year-old female with gunshot wounds in the parking lot behind the bar. Mr. Baez Morales was transported to the hospital, but unfortunately died from his injuries. The second victim was able to survive her injuries and recovered.

A large-scale investigation began to determine who had killed Keiter Baez Morales. Investigators interviewed witnesses, reviewed security footage, and searched for the murder weapon. Witnesses reported that the suspect, who was unknown to the victims, had become angry with Baez Morales and his group as they walked past him in the parking lot. Despite Baez Morales’ attempts to de-escalate the situation, the suspect ultimately pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots at Baez Morales and his group. The suspect fled from the scene and threw the weapon in a dumpster.

As the investigation continued, the owner of Tony’s Bar offered to allow law enforcement access to the identification card scanning machine used by their bouncers to identify their suspect. From that data, detectives were able to identify Tylen Grays as the man who had significantly wounded a woman and killed Keiter Baez Morales.
Detectives then began trying to locate Mr. Grays, and it was discovered that he had fled from Colorado to Michigan immediately after the shooting. He was taken into custody in Detroit in September 2024.

The prosecution team, led by Chief Deputy District Attorney Amanda Duhon, Senior Deputy District Attorney Lynzi Maas, and Deputy District Attorney Zackery Edwards, alongside Mr. Baez Morales’ family, friends, and the surviving victim, shared with the Court who Keiter Baez Morales was, how much his loss was felt, and how Tylen Gray's actions have affected not only those who loved Mr. Baez Morales, but those who never got the chance to know him.

In her sentencing argument, Chief Deputy District Attorney Amanda Duhon spoke about the dedication and bravery shown by Mr. Baez Morales’ mother. “For the last two years, she has attended every single court hearing, either in person or virtually. She travels from Colombia to Fort Collins each time to ensure justice for her son,” said Duhon. “She told me she wasn’t sure in the beginning if her son would get justice because he was an immigrant. Every victim deserves justice no matter where they come from or what they believe in.”

“I am incredibly proud of our team for overcoming numerous legal obstacles in securing accountability for Mr. Baez Morales and his family,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. “This shooting, the death of Mr. Baez Morales, and the injury of the surviving victim were completely senseless. I want to thank the families, friends, and surviving victims in this case who stood with this team through a very long process, a process that included navigating a system in a new country, with a new language. No victim should be denied justice because of their identity, and no family should have to worry that justice won’t be served because of who their loved one was. I hope they find some closure from this case coming to an end.”

09/02/2026

We have issued an opinion letter regarding the Officer-Involved Incident in Loveland on July 15th, 2026.

As with any Officer-Involved Shooting that results in a death, District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin will be hosting a virtual town hall to walk through the process and answer questions. That will be next Wednesday, September 9th, at 4:30 PM.

This letter as well as the registration for the Virtual Town Hall, can be found at www.larimer.gov/district-attorney/critical-incident-response-team

08/31/2026

Congratulations to the Honorable Leeah Lechuga

On Friday, Governor Jared Polis announced the appointment of Larimer County Deputy District Attorney Leeah Lechuga to become the newest judge in the 8th Judicial District.

Leeah has been with our office since May 2023. Prior to joining the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Leeah worked for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Arapahoe County, the Human Services Unit at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, and the Child Welfare Unit at the Denver City Attorney’s Office.

As a Deputy District Attorney in Larimer County, Leeah served in our Special Victims Unit, handling sexual assaults and crimes against children, before moving to oversee our work in Adult DUI Court and our Competency Docket. Throughout her time in our office, she has shown dedication to both serving victims and addressing the root causes of crime through our Problem-Solving Courts, our specialized dockets, which work intensively with defendants and community stakeholders to support rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.

“It is always an honor when a member of our office is selected to join the bench, and I am extremely proud of Leeah that her hard work is being recognized,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. “It is especially gratifying to see her work on our problem-solving courts recognized by the Governor’s office. While those assignments often do not get much publicity, they are an integral part of our holistic community safety approach, and Leeah’s work, especially regarding the competency docket, has led to statewide improvements in the way we treat those with mental illness in the criminal justice system. I am thrilled to see her community service and commitment to justice continue here in Larimer County.”

08/11/2026

It was our honor to nominate Rod and Clarissa Stratton for the Wendy Preston Family Award.

This award goes to a victim or survivor of a crime who has made a difference in the lives of other crime victims. Between their education and advocacy efforts, they continue to honor their son's legacy while making the world safer.

To learn more about their work, visit: Ollies Bike Parade

08/11/2026

Are you looking for a deep dive into the everyday of the criminal justice system in your community?

Then look no further than the District Attorney's Office Citizens Academy. Hear from attorneys, victim advocates, and investigators about the work of a prosecutor's office.

Some of the topics include: digital evidence, domestic violence, specialty courts, the special victims unit, trial preparation, and more.

This free 4-week course is a great way to learn more and maybe even get your chance to be a juror.

Applications are open until Sept. 4th or until filled.

Apply now: https://bit.ly/4bM4AwG

08/03/2026

Applications for 2027 funding through the Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement Board are now open.

This funding is provided by a Colorado Statute that created a mechanism to fund programming and services for crime victims and to assist law enforcement.

Agencies interested can find more information at the link below: https://www.larimer.org/da/vicwit/vale