DENVER – Prosecutors have formally charged a 27-year-old man with second-degree murder in the death of another man outside a Denver homeless shelter earlier this month.
Jonathan Diaz-Jimenez is accused of killing Anthony Lanford, 66, outside the Samaritan House shelter on Nov. 18. According to an affidavit for his arrest, Lanford denied Diaz-Jimenez money when he asked, after which Diaz-Jimenez allegedly punched and choked the man repeatedly.
After bystanders broke up the fight, Lanford collapsed and died, police wrote in the affidavit.
Police arrested Diaz-Jimenez a few blocks away shortly after he fled the scene of the fight.
Diaz-Jimenez is next due in court for an advisement hearing on Nov. 29.