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Key witness testifies after evading arrest in trial of man accused of killing Arvada officer

Sonny Almanza is on trial in Jefferson County in the death of Arvada Police Officer Dillon Vakoff.

GOLDEN, Colo. — After ignoring a subpoena and evading arrest, a key witness took the stand Friday in the murder trial of a man accused of killing an Arvada police officer.

Jerry Lopez, arrested Thursday after four days on the run, appeared in court in an orange jail jumpsuit.

Prosecutors called Lopez to describe the events leading up to, and after, Arvada Police officer Dillon Vakoff was shot and killed. Vakoff was murdered in the line of duty while responding to a child custody dispute in September 2022. Sonny Almanza, 32, faces eight counts, including first-degree murder with extreme indifference.

Lopez described himself as Almanza's brother-in-law. Lopez’ sister, Lexis, is the mother of Almanza’s two daughters, aged 5 and 2.

Read the full story at Denver Gazette.

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