A Texas man charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a Durango resident in May pleaded not guilty Friday.
Michael Jones, 20, also faces charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, menacing, tampering with evidence and possession of a weapon by a previous offender.
Jones and two friends – Kevin Goff, 27, and Alysse Rios, 20 – are suspected of traveling from Texas to rob someone of a large quantity of marijuana.
On May 14, they arranged to buy marijuana from someone at Unit No. 36 in the Lightner Creek Mobile Home Park, according to an arrest affidavit.
Jones is suspected of pulling a gun while Goff grabbed the marijuana. According to the arrest affidavit, Durango resident David Gaytan, 34, lunged toward Jones when he pulled a gun. Jones shot him in the chest.
The three suspects fled in a black Chevrolet Impala but were later arrested by Colorado State Patrol in Chaffee County, about 200 miles northeast of Durango.
Jones is scheduled for a seven-day jury trial to begin April 16.
mrupani@durangoherald.com
