document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ }); Craig Silverman and Joshua Maximon, the attorneys for Simon and Joshua Thallas, respectively, provided the following statement on behalf of their clients: Today is the 22nd birthday of Isabella Joy Thallas. }); The murder weapon was an AK-47 reportedly owned by DPD Sgt. The site where Thallas was gunned down has since been turned into a park and memorial site for the slain Colorado woman. A dispute over dog poop turned fatal earlier this year when Michael Close fired 24 shots from a semi . He is facing charges for two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, nine counts of using a prohibited high-capacity magazine during a crime, two counts of prohibited use of a firearm and one count of disorderly conduct. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. DENVER (KDVR) The man who shot a couple as they walked their dog in downtown Denver, killing a woman, has been sentenced to life in prison. The suspect, 36-year-old Michael Close, was quickly tracked down in the small town of Pine Junction. The man used an AK-47to carry out the crime while also wounding the womans boyfriend identified as Darian Simon. Simon was shot twice but survived. Close first yelled out his window at the couple as they urged their dog to go potty, then went to another room, retrieved an AK-47 hed taken from a friend who was a Denver police sergeant, returned to the window and began shooting. Michael Close shot dead Isabella Thallas, 21, and injured a Darian Simon, 27, in Denver last June He had allegedly argued with the couple about picking up their dog's poop prior to the shooting I am delighted that we were able to get justice for Isabella Thallas and Darian Simon, said Denver DA Beth McCann. The three Denver police officers involved in last month's downtown shooting that left six bystanders injured have all worked for the agency for three years or fewer, Axios Denver has learned.. What's new: Officers Meagan Lieberson, Brandon Ramos and Kenneth Rowland joined the force in 2019, and had never previously fired their weapons in the line of duty, Denver's safety department . In Pittsburgh, she helped the newspaper earn the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news after a mass shooting at a local synagogue, and in 2020 she was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in local reporting for an investigation into child sexual abuse among Amish and Mennonite communities. Thallas' 21st birthday was two days before. Please enter valid email address to continue. "The Lord called her home and she is resting in peace with Him.". "No, I never will," she said when asked whether she felt a sense of closure. Her boyfriend was wounded in the leg and buttocks. DENVER The man who shot and killed Isabella Thallas and injured her boyfriend Darian Simon while the couple was walking Simon's dog near Coors Field in June 2020 will serve a life sentence . Unknowingly, they were right outside Close's apartment. The suspect, Michael Close, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the 16 charges he faces in connection to the shooting in broad daylight in . 201 W, Colfax Ave, Dept. Prosecutors said Close then shouted to the couple, "Are you going to just yell at that dog or train it?". Are you going to train that fking dog or just yell at it? Close said, according to Denver police homicide investigator Joseph Trujillo. There is no justice in this, he said. pg.acq.push(function() { document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ "You find yourself in the grocery store, and you just look around, and you don't know why you're there. Ana said she thought Darian was amazing but she didn't think Isabella was emotionally ready for such a move. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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More 9NEWS coverage of the murder of Isabella Thallas: RELATED: Suspect found guilty in fatal Ballpark neighborhood shooting of Isabella Thallas, RELATED: Survivor of deadly Denver Ballpark neighborhood attack endures in the midst of grief and growth, RELATED: 'I hate that it was my gun,' says former Denver cop whose AK-47 was used in murder. She also said work was ongoing to renovate the park that her daughters mural is watching over, and she is working with the city to rename the park. Contact: Carolyn Tyler, Communications Director, carolyn.tyler@denverda.org, 720-913-9025. And our lives were changed forever.. Business; Politics; Military; Elections; Law; Immigration; Technology. Politica filed a resignation letter Feb. 13 and resigned from DPD one month later. Their opponents have averaged 75.4 points. Denver Police said an AR-15 and a handgun were found in the passenger-side floorboard of the Mercedes SUV he was driving at the time, as well as a gun belt and firearm magazines. The jury deliberated for a few hours Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday before one juror was excused and an alternate juror seated. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. }) I felt it as a mom," Ana said. The young woman was the oldest of three kids. The court testimony also showed Politica was planning to take the suspect to therapy on the day of the shooting after learning Close had experienced childhood trauma. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Close will be sentenced on Nov. 4. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, who was killed in a shooting while walking her dog. This story contains previous reporting by Janet Oravetz. },false) The grief is still raw and the memories are unforgivably vivid. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. }); "It should be cool to be a good person; it should be cool to be a positive to one another.". First published on June 11, 2020 / 11:59 PM. He and the co-owner of the company spoke to CBS4 last fall on Small Business Saturday. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AURORA, Colo. ( KDVR) The Aurora Police Department were investigating a shooting that left one man critically injured Saturday night in the 1900 block of North Dallas Street. A 16-year-old East High School student who was shot outside the Denver school 2 weeks ago has died, the Denver Police Department confirmed Wednesday. She's gone. A Denver judge on Friday sentenced Michael Close to life in prison without the possibility of parole. "There's no winners in this," said Joshua Thallas, Isabella's father. Example video title will go here for this video. Her response was immediate. Surface Studio vs iMac - Which Should You Pick? Thanks for contacting us. ", "A random person shoots her for no reason 24 times," Ana said. Three of the five people who were shot and killed in the Denver and Lakewood . hitType: 'event', }); His arraignment is set for January 4, public records show. It was around 11:40 a.m. and Thallas and Simon were walking their dog on Fox Street, near Coors Field. Trujillo testified that Thompson said Close was not mentally stable and had not been the entire time she knew him. She said he had a personality disorder but wasnt being treated for it and he had a history of drug abuse. "We want to encourage people to come and just remember such a beautiful young lady," Rahn said. Shes been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice. The final determination on charges will be made by the Denver District Attorney's Office. She joined the paper in 2019 and previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. Updated Dec 28, 2021 at 10:45pm. You feel it. The murderer was Politicas friend and confidante who somehow obtained the illegal (in Denver) assault weapon and prohibited (in Colorado) large capacity magazines filled with ammunition. Isabella Thallas, 21, was killed during the shooting. }); Darian would never walk the same again. Isabella Thallas father, Joshua Thallas, said the guilty verdict did not feel like a win. . Thank you to the family and friends of Isabella Thallas for allowing me the honor of painting your loved one. Facebook Alicia Cardenas (left), the Maldonados (top right) and Daniel Schofield. Denver DA Beth McCann said in a statement shared that she was delighted that her office was able to get justice for the victims. let gads_event; "Today we lost a daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and friend," her mother, Ana Thallas, wrote. A memorial for Isabella Thallas in Denver (Benjamin Rasmussen / The Atlantic) M ichael Close, the man who is charged with killing Bella and grievously wounding Darian, was 36 on the day of the . He was busted by the cops during a traffic stop later that day. By Associated Press. And our lives were changed forever., Ana later tweeted that hearing the handcuffs click was music to my ears., Isabellas father, Joshua Thallas, told reporters outside the courtroom that there is no justice in this compared to the amount of loss caused by Closes poor choices.. He must now undergo a court-ordered examination; afterwards, experts will determine whether or not he is qualified for an . ga('ads.send', { Our family, obviously, Bellas friends lost, the community lost, even Closes family lost today because of his poor choices.. After shooting and killing the duo, Close fled from the spot in his Mercedes SUV with the AK-47 and a handgun. }) Trujillo also testified that police arrived on the scene and met Closes girlfriend, Chelsea Thompson, who told them Close had just called her. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Denver DA Beth McCann said in a prepared statement that she was delighted that her office was able to get justice for the victims. Close was found guilty of one count of first degree murder after deliberation and one count of first degree murder extreme indifference, two counts of attempt to commit first degree murder, and two counts of first degree assault. Close faces a mandatory life term when he is sentenced on November 4. Michael Close is in custody for investigation of first-degree murder in connection with the June 10 murder of 21-year-old Isabella Thallas and the shooting of Darian Simon, the founder of the . You have a lot of life to live," Ana said. Her boyfriend, Darian Simon, was shot twice but is expected to survive. The family of a woman fatally shot last year in Denver has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the alleged shooter and the former police sergeant whose gun police believe was used in the shooting. We begged her to stay home, and she chose love.". Nicole Fierro speaks with Luis Garcia's family about how the tragedy of gun violence has impacted them. pg.acq.push(function() { if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ The life sentence carries no possibility of parole, and the sentences are to run consecutively. Simon and Joshua Thallas are seeking more than $100,000 for the injuries, damages and losses Simon and Joshua Thallas suffered, the documents say. According to the publication, prosecutors alleged that Close got into a verbal exchange with Thallas and Simon as they encouraged the dog Rocko to poop in a rock garden outside Closes apartment located at Huron Street near Coors Field. Deliberations then started over at about 11:15 a.m Thursday and ended around 2 p.m. (Close's) family is broke, believe or or not. Close, a friend of the officer, took the firearm from the officer's home without his knowledge or permission, police said. hitType: 'event', Close began to yell from his window about the dog. North Dakota ranks sixth in the Summit with 11.7 assists per game led by . gads_event = event; },false) Thallas mom, Ana Thallas, said her daughter was kind and humble: It didnt matter who you were or what you were. A Denver man charged with fatally shooting a woman and wounding her boyfriend during a confrontation over dog poop has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.. Michael R. Close, 37, entered the . "We were kids having kids and trying to make life happen," Ana said. But to Ana, she lost her precious child. A mural of Isabella Thallas in Denver. A man from Denver, Colorado, was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder after he fatally shot at a dog-walking couple 24 times with an AK-47. Ana Thallas, Isabellas mother, said Thursday that she felt numb. ", "It was hard not having dad in the home," she said. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. But Bella, as she was known, desired independence in the form of living with her boyfriend, Darian. He then left his apartment and drove west into the mountains with both the AK-47 and a pistol. The gun used to murder a 21-year-old Colorado woman as she was walking her dog last summer was registered to a Denver Police officer, according to multiple . Our lawsuit seeks answers and accountability. Amber Heard claims poop on Johnny Depp's bed wasn't a prank. Jurors rejected defense attorneys argument that Close was criminally insane at the time of the unprovoked attack. Baby Mia Jade Riley: Parents Lani and Tom Riley speak out after dog attack killed their 5-week-old infant, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims, Kyle Sambrook: Hiker falls 100ft to death while carrying his dog in one hand through 'appalling' weather, Killer mom Lindsay Clancy was suffering from drug withdrawal and had 'worst side effects,' says friend, Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in. According to prosecutors, when Simon responded, "Mind your own business, Rocko is a good dog," Close grabbed an assault-style rifle and fired more than 20 shots, hitting and killing Thallas and seriously wounding Simon. June 11, 2020 / 11:59 PM But Isabella's willful spirit will never again be contained. We've received your submission. Close will pay for what hes done by spending his life in prison," said Judge Lisa C. Arnolds at the sentencing. Denver District Court Judge Lisa C. Arnolds on Friday sentenced Michael Close to life in . Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, was the personal weapon of Denver police officer Dan Politica. A dispute over dog poop turned fatal earlier this year when Michael Close fired 24 shots from a semi-automatic rifle at Isabella Thallas and her boyfriend Darian Simon, prosecutors said. A man convicted of using an AK-47 to kill a woman and wound her boyfriend as they walked their dog has been sentenced to life in prison. There are so many losses all around. The semi-automatic rifle used in the shooting belonged to a now-former Denver police sergeant, who said Close stole it without his knowledge. Close shot and killed Isabella Thallas in 2020 and also tried to kill her boyfriend. Michael Close, 38, knew . Politica filed a resignation letter Feb. 13 and left DPD one month later for reasons unrelated to this case. Her boyfriend, Darian Simon, was shot twice but is expected to survive. DENVER Beautiful, brilliant and free-spirited that's how Ana Thallas remembers her daughter, Isabella, who was murdered by a stranger two days after her 21st birthday. Senate Bill 78, renamed the Isabella Joy Thallas Act in honor of a 21-year-old woman shot and killed in Denver last summer, requires a gun owner to report their lost or stolen firearm within five . pg.acq.push(function() { Isabella Thallas died in the shooting, and Simon was shot twice but survived, though he had to undergo surgery to repair a broken femur. Her boyfriend, Darian Simon co-founder of the fashion company and brand Be a Good Person was hospitalized. 2023 District Attorney's Office of Denver, Colorado. Thallas and her boyfriend, Darian Simon, were shot near 29th and Huron Street. "You know. Jared Polis signed into law Senate Bill 21-078, which was renamed the Isabella Joy Thallas Act. I did something really bad. Opinion: Colorado farms going fallow? Prosecutors with the Denver District Attorneys Office said Close was sane during the attack. Close and members of Thallas' family cried, The Denver Post . Isabella Thallas in 2017. The sentences are to run consecutively. Friends shocked by the loss of Thallas hope the focus can remain on her life and the impact she had on others. The shooting happened outside an apartment complex in the Ballpark neighborhood of Denver on June 10, 2020. Isabella Thallas. "Her middle name is Joy," Thallas' mother Ana Thallas said at her . hitType: 'event', READ MOREMan tapes dog poop to his wall with threatening note for person who let their pet take a dump in his garden, DOG DID IT! The shooting happened outside an apartment complex in the Ballpark neighborhood in June 2020. Tomorrow's a new day, and so you go through the whole day saying, 'I'm going to make it to tomorrow.'". 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