KUSA — A 27-year-old man is behind bars, accused of attacking and killing an elderly man in Five Points while trying to rob him, according to an arrest affidavit provided Monday by the Denver Police Department.
Jonathan Dia-Jimenez is behind bars on investigation of murder in the first degree, according to the affidavit, for attacking the man outside of a homeless shelter in Five Points Sunday morning.
According to the arrest report, officers were called to Park near Lawrence around 10:45 a.m. on a report of an assault in progress. When they got on scene, DPD officers said they found an older man on the ground, unresponsive. The man was pronounced dead on-scene just after 11 a.m.
Witnesses told officers that Diaz-Jimenez asked the man for money and when the victim said he didn't have any, Diaz-Jimenez began punching and choking him until he passed out, the affidavit says. Diaz-Jimenez and the victim were both on the ground before witnesses were able to get the victim back on his feet. The arrest affidavit says that's when Diaz-Jimenez jumped up and punched someone in the face, took his sunglasses and then took off.
Just before 11, two officers spotted a man matching the description of the attacker. The arrest affidavit says the man was Diaz-Jimenez, and he was placed in custody. He was then taken to Denver Health Medical Center.
A DPD detective looked into the case and got ahold of surveillance video from the Samaritan House Homeless Shelter along Lawrence, according to the affidavit. The video showed the victim and Diaz-Jimenez across the street from each other, apparently talking. During the video, Diaz-Jimenez rushes across the street, the report says. The victim can be seen dropping his cane and attempting to run away.
The video shows Diaz-Jimenez hit the man multiple times until he falls to the ground. The affidavit says Diaz-Jimenez looked like he was trying to grab something out of the man's hand.
The victim will be identified by the Office of the Medical Examiner. Police said they will not release a booking photo because "it may be needed for additional investigative purposes." DPD has asked 9NEWS and other media not to publish the man's photo until such time as law enforcement is comfortable releasing it.
