Murder Victim's Family 'Forever Grateful' For Tips To Help Catch Christopher Butler
DENVER (CBS4) - More than a month after 31-year-old Luis Nieves was killed, Denver police have a suspect in custody. Nieves was on his way home from work, crossing the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 25 near Jewell Avenue and Cherry Street when he was shot and killed.
His cousin, Michelle McCurry says their family has been desperately seeking for answers.
"Before today the mind was racing. Racing who? Are they going to get away with it? You know there are so many families that do not ever get answers," she said.
Investigators were able to track down 29-year-old Christopher Butler who is now being held for investigation of first degree murder. The arrest comes after a series of crime stopper bulletins were released to the public.
Denver Police Department spokesman Doug Schepman says those calls for the public to report information proved to be key in their investigation.
"Through the course of the investigation, we received some vital information about a suspect vehicle that was involved in this incident that ultimately helped investigators to identify our arrestee in this case," he said.
McCury has been advocating on her cousin's behalf on her own, raising concerns about the overall safety of the bridge he was crossing and pleading to the public for tips to help in the case.
"I am so forever grateful to whoever called in with tips whoever shared the crime stoppers fliers or shared any other media on social media," she said.
The arrest she says has brought some relief, but the family, as well as police, still have questions about why.
"This appears to be a random encounter and our investigators are still working to try and determine exactly what the motive was for the shooting," Schepman said.
McCury says those answers could lead to justice, but nothing she says will bring Nieves back.
"I don't think the pain will ever go away," she said.
Butler has a long criminal history including assault, burglary and kidnapping.
Denver police continue to ask for information that could help them determine the motive behind the shooting.