Former Northern Colorado police officer pleads guilty to manslaughter in deadly shooting of man

A former police officer in Northern Colorado who was charged with murder pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday.

Erik Hernandez was working as a police officer in LaSalle, about 55 miles northeast of Denver, in May 2023 when he responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle at a Family Dollar.

Hernandez shot at a car that was driving away, striking the driver, 38-year-old Juston Reffel, and killing him.

He was indicted by a grand jury within a few weeks and charged with second-degree murder, but a Weld County jury in November was unable to reach a unanimous verdict after two days of deliberations, according to prosecutors.

A message was left with Hernandez's attorney seeking comment on Monday.

Hernandez is set to be sentenced on April 25. He faces up to six years in prison and up to a lifetime of parole.

He'll no longer be able to serve as a police officer in Colorado.