ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — An Aurora man who shot another man to death at an Adams County motel in March 2022 was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison.
The Adams County District Attorney's Office said in a release that Hayden Banks, 33, shot and killed David Islas in Islas' room at the Venture Inn on North Pecos Street.
Prosecutors said the dispute centered around a counterfeit $100 bill that Banks was trying to recover from Islas. Banks confronted Islas in the doorway of his room, and when Islas tried to shut the door, Banks pulled out a handgun and shot him once through the heart, according to the release.
A jury found Banks guilty of second-degree murder in June after a weeklong trial. On Thursday, a judge sentenced him to 40 years in the Department of Corrections.
"The defendant egregiously and unnecessarily took another man's life – and he will now have to pay the consequences," District Attorney Brian Mason said in a statement. "I am grateful to the jury, as well as the Adams County Sheriff's Office and my DA's Office prosecution team, for securing justice in this case."
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Investigations & Crime
MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS
Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER for top stories from 9NEWS curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.
DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
HOW TO ADD THE FREE 9NEWS+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9NEWS" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.