GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. — Two men found shot to death inside a truck in Gunnison County were both shot in the back, according to an arrest affidavit from the sheriff's office.
A Gunnison County Sheriff's deputy who was out searching for a different, unrelated vehicle came across the truck and trailer in sagebrush along Highway 50 around 4:30 a.m. on Monday. According to the affidavit, he thought the driver might have run off the road, so he turned around to check.
When he approached the truck, he spotted a man, later identified as 27-year-old Zachary Baker, walking away from the truck and onto the roadway.
According to the affidavit, Baker was on the phone with his mother and was "hysterically yelling" and said, "they were going to kill me," and that he "shot them."
The deputy asked Baker if he shot someone down at the truck, and he stated, "yes," the affidavit says. When the deputy checked the truck, he located two men slumped over in the front seat.
They've since been identified as 32-year-old Estefan Coronado of Fruita and 45-year-old Colin Williams of Clifton.
Both had wounds that indicated they were shot from behind, the affidavit says.
Baker was transported to the sheriff's office where he was interviewed. He told investigators that he had only known the victims for a few weeks and had met them through a mutual friend. He said the three of them picked up a trailer in Grand Junction and at some point during their time together Williams and Coronado became "hostile" toward him, the affidavit says.
When asked to elaborate, Baker only said the men would ignore him and made comments about "hiding a body." He never stated whether he was directly threatened, the affidavit says.
He reported that he went into a store and while he was inside, Williams and Coronado had unloaded his firearm and made a comment that he "would not be needing this," which was a reference to the ammunition they'd removed. He said they were unaware he had another magazine with him and gave him back his empty gun.
Baker said he thought the two men became paranoid of him, which in turn caused him to "fear for his safety."
When asked if he shot the men, Baker stated, "no," the affidavit says. When the deputy said it sounded like he had to make a choice to survive, Baker said that was true, according to the document.
When asked about blood on this clothing, Baker chose not to respond, the affidavit says.
He faces two counts of first-degree murder, according to the sheriff's office, and is due in court on May 26.
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