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Jury selection begins Monday in trial of STEM School shooting suspect

Devon Erickson is charged in the shooting at the Highlands Ranch school that killed 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo in 2019.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Jury selection begins Monday for the trial of the second suspect accused of carrying out the deadly attack on May 7, 2019 at STEM School Highlands Ranch.

Devon Erickson is charged in the shooting that left 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo dead and eight others wounded.

Castillo has been lauded as a hero for joining other classmates to rush Erickson during the shooting.

>VIDEO ABOVE: Kendrick Castillo's father remembers his son one year after the shooting

RELATED: 'That’s why he did the act that he did': It's been 1 year since the deadly shooting STEM School Highlands Ranch

Credit: Family friend
Kendrick Castillo

Erickson, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, pleaded not guilty in January 2020. His trial was originally scheduled for last year but it was delayed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He faces 46 counts including:

  • Two counts of first-degree murder
  • One count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder 
  • 31 counts of attempted first-degree murder

Co-defendant Alec McKinney was sentenced to life in prison with parole plus 38 years in July 2020 after pleading guilty to 17 counts related to the crime, including 14 felonies. 

RELATED: Friday marks 2 years since deadly shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch

Because he was a juvenile at the time of the shooting, McKinney was not allowed under state law to be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder charge.

Prosecutors have decided not to seek the death penalty for Erickson. Although Colorado has eliminated the death penalty, he was eligible because he was charged before the law changed.

RELATED: DA won't seek death penalty against STEM shooting suspect

George Brauchler, who was the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District at the time of the crime but left office earlier this year due to term limits, will serve as a special prosecutor in the case. 

Hundreds of potential jurors are expected to be summoned. The trial is slated to last a month.

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