GOLDEN, Colo. — A man was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences Friday after he was found guilty of murdering two people in Lakewood's Belmar Park in 2019.
On March 10, Vicente Enrique Orozco, 22, was found guilty of first-degree murder, felony murder, and two counts of aggravated robbery for the murders of Stevan Sandvick, 61, and Ivan Rodriguez Rivera, 19, according to the First Judicial District Attorney's Office.
He was sentenced on Friday in the First Judicial District Court.
The charges stemmed from Aug. 15, 2019 when, just after midnight, police responded to Belmar Park in Lakewood. When they arrived, they found Rodriguez Rivera with multiple stab wounds. Later that morning around 7 a.m., a witness walking near the Colorado Fallen Firefighters Memorial in the northeast part of the park found Sandvick's body. Sandvick had also been stabbed multiple times. Police said it appeared he had been robbed, according to the district attorney's office.
Sandvick was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Rodriguez Rivera died a few days later. Police determined later that he had been playing soccer with a friend when he was attacked.
Four days later, on Aug. 19, police received an anonymous tip, which helped them identify then-18-year-old Orozco as the suspect, according to the district attorney's office. Orozco was arrested on Aug. 21, 2019.
He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus 15 years for the aggravated robbery conviction.
During his sentencing Friday, family described Rodriguez Rivera as a “beautiful kid” with a bright future and Sandvick's family said he was a father and husband who will be missed very much, according to the district attorney's office.
“Today we see justice for the tragedy that took two innocent, random victims from the years ahead of them, their community, and their families,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Adam Hepp. “We are grateful for the courageous and thorough efforts of law enforcement, and we thank Ivan and Stevan’s families for their patience, their strength, and their undaunted courage throughout this process.”