Teen sentenced to 7 years after pleading guilty to role in deadly Tiffany Square Apartments fire in Lakewood

A 15-year-old was sentenced Tuesday for his role in last year's deadly Tiffany Square Apartment fire that claimed the lives of two victims and left 10 others injured. The teenager, who was 14 years old at the time of the Oct. 31, 2022 fire, was sentenced to 7 years in the Colorado Department of Human Services Division of Youth Services. 

Two people were killed in the fire and 10 others were injured, some people jumped from balconies to escape the blaze. Kathleen Payton, 31, and her 10-year-old daughter Jazmine hid from the flames in the bathtub but they did not survive the heavy smoke. 

All residents of the 32 units were displaced. Investigators said it was determined that the fire was intentionally set. 

Two juveniles, ages 14 and 12 at the time of the fire, were arrested by Lakewood police on Nov. 6, 2022, for the fire early in the morning on Oct. 31, 2022, at the Tiffany Square Apartments, located at 935 Sheridan Boulevard. Both have remained in custody since their arrest. 

The now 15-year-old pleaded guilty to several charges on July 24, including two counts of first-degree murder, criminal attempt to commit murder in the first degree, first-degree arson and two counts of the sentence enhancer of aggravated juvenile offender.

The judge imposed the maximum sentence of 7 years with 113 days of pre-sentence confinement credit. 

The other juvenile charged in the case is set for a status hearing on Oct. 16. He remains in custody. 

Names of the juveniles have not been released due to their ages.