Gunman sentenced to life in prison but has two more shooting cases from same day

Gunman sentenced to life in prison but has 2 more shooting cases

Julian Rivera was recently handed a life sentence by a judge in the shooting death of a man at a Lakewood motel on Jan. 26, 2021.

Rivera now heads to two other courtrooms to face charges for shootings committed later that same day.

Julian Rivera following his arrest for the shooting deaths of two men in Lakewood and Commerce City, and for shooting a man in the head in Denver, on Jan. 26, 2021. Lakewood Police Department

In March, a Jefferson County jury convicted Rivera of the early morning murder of 29-year-old Geronimo Alvarado. Alvarado was shot to death at the Blue Sky Motel located at 6205 West Colfax Avenue.

Lakewood Police Department personnel responded to the motel at 2:45 a.m. On surveillance video, they saw a man get out of a white GMC SUV and enter Alvarado's apartment for only a few seconds before leaving.

Rivera is also charged with attempted murder after a man was shot in the head mid-morning in Commerce City, and with murder in the case another man who was fatally shot in the head around noon in Denver.

Rivera was arrested that night after a short pursuit in Castle Rock.

Rivera has pleaded not guilty in those remaining cases. The judges have previously ordered mental health evaluations for Rivera in both.

Logan Smith

Logan Smith is an assignment desk editor at CBS Colorado in Denver with more than 30 years of journalism experience in digital, television and print media.