DENVER — The man accused of killing a couple and their 11-year-old daughter was the stepfather of one of the victims, according to a release from the Denver District Attorney's Office.
Bustaman Kartabrata, 59, is accused of walking into a home in the 3000 block of South Golden Way in southwest Denver on May 23 and shooting 11-year-old Christine McDaniels, 48-year-old Joseph McDaniels and 37-year-old Althea McDaniels.
Althea McDaniels was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Christine and Joseph McDaniels were taken to nearby hospitals where they later died, according to police. All three victims died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Kartabrata is married to Joseph McDaniels' mother, according to the DA's office.
The couple's eight-year-old son saw Kartabrata pull out a gun and shoot both his mother and father, a release from the district attorney's office said.
According to an arrest affidavit from Denver Police, the McDaniels family had recently sold their home and were packing up their belongings.
The boy who witnessed the shooting told police that Kartabrata came to the house with his grandmother and was discussing the move with his parents, the affidavit says.
At the end of the discussion, Kartabrata and the boy's grandmother left but were sitting in their car outside, the affidavit says. The McDaniels family began packing some of their belongings into their family vehicle. When they were finished they went inside and locked the door, according to the affidavit.
A short time later, the affidavit says, Kartabrata knocked on the door and stated that his wife had left her purse inside.
The boy told Kartabrata "let's look for it" and then Kartabrata "pulled out a gun and started shooting," the affidavit says.
He shot Joseph McDaniels and then Althea, the affidavit says. Kartabrata then chased and shot the boy’s sister, Christine, according to the affidavit.
The grandmother of the children saved herself by jumping out the second-story window while the boy escaped and ran for help, the DA's release said.
Kartabrata is now charged with:
- three counts of murder in the first degree
- one count of felony menacing
- one count of assault in the third degree
Kartabrata is due in court Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.
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