DENVER — A Denver jury convicted a man late Thursday in connection with a fatal shooting nearly two years ago at a birthday party for a child.
Fausto Marquez, 30, was shot and killed on June 27, 2020.
The jury deliberated for about a day before finding Oscar Villegas-Ortega guilty of the following:
- First-degree murder with extreme indifference
- Manslaughter
- First-degree assault
Just after 10 p.m. June 27, 2020, Denver 911 began receiving calls of a fight and shooting in a parking lot in the 3600 block of Park Avenue West, according to an arrest affidavit from the Denver Police Department (DPD).
There was first birthday party being held at the location on that evening.
According to the affidavit, several people were upset about Villegas-Ortega dancing with a woman who was only identified as his cousin. A witness said several men followed him outside and "jumped him."
Several people tried to intervene and were also injured, the affidavit says.
DPD officers and Denver paramedics responded to a "chaotic scene" and found several injured parties in a parking lot, according to prosecutors.
At some point during the altercation, Marquez was shot, according to witnesses.
He was transported to Denver Health Medical Center and pronounced dead. The coroner said he died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Villegas-Ortega and another man were also injured and taken to the hospital, the affidavit says.
Villegas-Ortega had "head and facial trauma consistent with an assault" and other "sharp force" injuries to his abdomen and face, according to the affidavit. An officer at the scene found a handgun in Villegas-Ortega's pocket as he patted him down before he was transported to the hospital, the affidavit says.
He is scheduled to be sentenced July 22.
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