Pueblo coroner identifies city's 20th homicide victim of 2023

Justin Reutter, Pueblo Chieftain
·6 min read

The victim of Pueblo's 20th homicide of 2023 has been identified by the county coroner.

Frankie Montoya, 34, of Pueblo, died Saturday after he was shot several times during a shooting at a residence in the 1800 block of East 17th Street on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

According to police, Montoya arrived at a local hospital via private vehicle just after 5 p.m. Wednesday and was later transported to another hospital in Colorado Springs with life-threatening injuries. He died Saturday at the hospital.

No arrests had been made as of Wednesday afternoon and the department's investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked by Pueblo PD to contact police dispatch at 719-553-2502 or Detective Ryan Torres at 719-320-6037. To remain anonymous, contact Pueblo Crime Stoppers at 719-542-STOP (719-542-7867) or visit pueblocrimestoppers.com. Information that leads to a felony could qualify its submitting party for a cash reward.

Montoya's death marked the 20th homicide reported in the city of Pueblo in 2023, and the 22nd county-wide.

Here's what we know about Pueblo County's 21 previous homicides of 2023

  • Unnamed 2-year-old, Jan. 31: Mythia Latka, 23, has been charged with child abuse causing the death of her 2-year-old child, who has not been publicly identified by the Chieftain because the child is a minor.

  • Heather Duran, Feb. 24: Francisco Ruiz, 30, is accused of first-degree murder in the shooting death of the 34-year-old Duran. Ruiz is scheduled for a routine hearing in mid-October after a judge found there was sufficient evidence to set the case for trial.

  • Fred Ettleman, Feb. 24: Ettleman, 79, was killed in a shooting at King Soopers on Northern Avenue. Police have not publicly identified any suspects in Ettleman's death.

  • Joseph Vigil, March 4 : Vigil, 38, was killed in a late-night shooting. Police identified Pablo Carillo and Mario Valenzuela as suspects in the case. Carillo was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Valenzuela died on April 6, according to Pueblo PD. The county coroner stated that Valenzuela died in a "non-newsworthy manner" and declined to release Valenzuela's cause of death.

  • Sancho Xavier Sierra, April 3: Sierra, 17, was killed in the 1000 block of East 11th Street, in an apparent shooting. Three women were also hospitalized with gunshot wounds in the same shooting. No suspects have yet been named in the case.

  • Scottie Sanders, April 24: Sanders, 28, was found dead in the 2600 block of Orman Avenue after police responded to reports of an unconscious person. No suspects have been identified in the case and the coroner has not released Sanders' cause of death. No suspects have yet been named in the case.

  • Daedriean Ortega-Brisco, May 9: Police were dispatched to the 1500 block of East Second Street on a report that a person had been shot and found Ortega-Brisco, 19, dead at the scene with an apparent gunshot wound. No suspects have yet been named in the case.

  • Joshua Specht, May 22: Specht, 42, was found dead in the yard of a residence on the 2600 block of Poplar Street by police, who were responding to a call of shots fired in the area and a motorcycle crash near Illinois Avenue and Poplar Street. No suspects have yet been named in the case.

  • Michael Anthony Sandoval, June 11: Sandoval, 28, was found dead by police at approximately 6:35 p.m. after they were called to the 1100 block of Francisco Street on a report of a shooting. Police announced in early July that they have issued an arrest warrant charging Edgar Earl Darden with murder. Darden was arrested on Aug. 27 by police.

  • Jordan Robinson, June 19: Robinson was discovered dead in a vehicle in the 1000 block of East River Street, the victim of apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a coroner investigator. No suspects have yet been named in the case.

  • Russel Edward Kuklies, June 27: Kuklies, 40, was shot and killed at the Val-U-Stay Inn and Suites on North Hudson Avenue. Officers responded to the scene just after 8 p.m. the night of June 27 and found Kuklies deceased on scene. Police are seeking help identifying suspects in the homicide.

  • Marcos Colunga-Gaona, June 28: Colunga-Gaona, 25, was found unresponsive by police with a gunshot wound in the 1600 block of Lambert Avenue on the night of June 28 after neighbors in the area called police to report shots fired. Colunga-Gaona was pronounced dead by a coroner investigator. Police are seeking potential witnesses of the homicide, and have identified the operator of a white truck as a potential witness.

  • Lazarus Vigil, June 28: Police were called to the scene of a car crash and fire in the 500 block of Mesa Avenue. When officers arrived, they found an adult male, identified later as Vigil, inside the vehicle with gunshot wounds. Vigil was taken to a local hospital but died from his injuries. A 13-year-old has been arrested in connection to Vigil's death, although the suspect has not been publicly named due to his age.

  • Sabino Loya-Armendariz, July 3: Loya-Armendariz, 25, was found dead by Pueblo County sheriff’s deputies after suffering gunshot wounds in the 1300 block of Tampico Street. No arrest have been made.

  • Marcos Baca, July 4: Police were called to the 0-100 block of Amherst Avenue and arrived to find Baca, 29, dead at the scene. Pueblo police arrested Baca's uncle, William Montoya, and charged him with first-degree murder after he allegedly admitted to the shooting.

  • Vincent Smith, July 24: Smith was shot and killed outside his home on 2000 block of East Evans Avenue. Police arrested Russell Martinez in connection to Smith's death.

  • Unnamed teenager, July 25: Less than eight hours after Smith's murder, Pueblo police were called to the skate park in City Park on another report of shots fired and found a teenager, who has not been publicly identified, dead. No arrests have been made.

  • Franklin Bruner, July 29: Bruner was shot and killed in the 1000 block of Berkley Avenue. His dog was also shot during the incident and had to be euthanized as a result of its injuries. The suspect in the case, Robert James Rudichar, was arrested in Las Vegas, New Mexico on July 31. He's been charged with first-degree murder.

  • Larry Derrick Maes, Aug. 4: Maes was found dead in a white SUV with a single gunshot wound after sheriff’s deputies were called to a report of a vehicle wreck in the 1700 block of Tenderfoot Lane in Pueblo West. No suspects have been named in the case

  • Keith Quinn, Aug. 13: Quinn, 38, of Pueblo, was discovered dead in a parking lot near 45 Bonnymede Road. No suspects have been named in the case.

  • Jason Trujillo, Aug. 24: Trujillo was shot and killed during a multi-victim shooting in the 1200 block of Berwind Avenue. Three additional victims arrived at an area hospital via a private vehicle, according to Pueblo PD, two of whom were then transported to another hospital in Colorado Springs with life-threatening injuries, but survived. No suspects have been named.

More on Pueblo public safety: Pueblo man to stand trial for second time in shooting death of 73-year-old neighbor

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

Questions, comments or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo coroner IDs homicide victim; 22nd homicide in county this year