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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
Gunman sentenced to life in prison but has 2 more shooting cases 00:13

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. 

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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

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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