UPDATE | Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. — Stig Strong, 33, the suspect in a murder from April 18, has been formally charged with one count of first degree murder, one count of second degree murder, one count of aggravated robbery, one count of second degree assault, one count of second degree burglary and with two sentence enhancing counts of habitual criminal.
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DENVER — A suspect was arrested after a man was robbed and murdered outside his Denver home.
Officers with the Denver Police Department were called out to the 1200 block of North Mariposa Street around 6:56 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18 for reports of a deceased person.
The 911 caller was walking in the area and came across a man lying on the sidewalk outside of a home, according to court documents. The caller reported that the man was covered by a blue sheet, and the front doors of the house were open, the documents state.
When officers arrived, they found Jonathan Douglas, 34, underneath a blue tarp with his pockets pulled inside out and "some type of bar" nearby, according to the documents. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers followed suspected blood drops that led into an enclosed porch. They learned from a neighbor that the tenant worked nights and slept during the day.
Officers knocked on the door and did not get a response, so they checked the door handle and found it was unlocked, court documents state. The officers announced their presence and cleared the house "in concern for another victim," but did not find anyone inside, according to the report. However, they did notice suspected blood drops in the kitchen.
According to the documents, detectives contacted the tenant, who said she had been trying to get a hold of her roommate but had not been able to. She arrived at the scene and described her roommate, which matched Douglas.
During an interview with detectives, the tenant said she last spoke to Douglas at 4:45 p.m. Monday while he was at work. Douglas had moved in in December.
The tenant told investigators she had been trying to reach Douglas, but her calls went straight to a recording and she could not leave a message, according to the probable cause (PC) statement.
At the home, the tenant found a white shirt on the floor of her room that was not hers, the document reads. She also said it seemed like the table by her bed had possibly been overturned.
According to court documents, the tenant discovered that cash was missing from her room, and she could not find her computer. Meanwhile, Douglas' wallet, cellphone and keys were not found on his person or inside the home.
After reviewing High Activity Location Services (HALO) cameras, authorities spotted an unknown man in the area at the time of the murder. Security cameras from a nearby business captured the man in the alleyway behind the building roughly 20 minutes after the murder.
According to court documents, the man was seen pulling out a large sum of cash and "appeared to have possible blood on his hands."
Douglas' phone was pinged to the area of 13th and Santa Fe. When officers arrived, they noticed a man who matched the description of the man from the surveillance video. He was identified as Stig Strong, 33,
Strong was arrested on unrelated warrants. A car key, house key and cash were discovered on his person during his arrest, according to court documents. Investigators determined that the car key belonged to Douglas' vehicle, and the house key was similar to the tenant's house key, the PC statement reads.
Strong was then arrested for investigation of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and second-degree burglary.
Denver PD told Denver7 this incident appears to be random. A GoFundMe has been created to help Douglas' family. To donate, click here.
