A Lakewood juvenile will spend the rest of his teens in state custody after admitting to starting the 2022 Halloween morning fire that ripped through the Tiffany Square Apartments, killing a mother and her 10-year-old daughter and scattering residents from the 32-unit complex. The teen, now 15, pleaded guilty on January 29 to multiple charges that include two counts of first-degree murder and first-degree arson, and was adjudicated an aggravated juvenile offender. The blaze injured 10 people and displaced residents across the building.
Second Teen Admits Guilt, Draws Maximum Juvenile Term
According to a press release from the Colorado First Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the juvenile entered guilty pleas on January 29 to two counts of murder in the first degree, two aggravated-juvenile-offender enhancers, criminal attempt to commit murder in the first degree, and first-degree arson. Both sides agreed to a determinate seven-year sentence in the Colorado Department of Human Services Division of Youth Services, the maximum allowed under state law for this adjudication, with two years of presentence confinement credit.
“Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the many members of our community impacted by this senseless fire,” Deputy District Attorney Riley Gonya said in the release. Gonya added that nothing can restore what was lost, but that the outcome may help victims and neighbors begin the long process of healing. The DA’s office noted that victims and family members filled the courtroom for the hearing, many wearing pink and purple in memory of Jazmine.
How Investigators Say the Blaze Began
Investigators say the two juveniles, then 14 and 12, were asked to leave a friend’s apartment earlier in the night. They allegedly returned just before 4 a.m., set fire to bushes beneath a wooden walkway, and watched as flames shot upward and raced through the building. Surveillance footage shown to detectives reportedly captured the pair running to an adjacent building, then leaving the area on public transit. Both were arrested on November 6, 2022, and have remained in custody since, according to West Metro Fire Rescue. The fire damaged about 14 units and forced all 32 residents to relocate.
Families and Neighbors Respond
Survivors and relatives described harrowing escapes and trauma that have not faded. Some residents jumped from balconies to escape thick smoke. Neighbors told reporters that Kathleen Payton tried to shield her daughter as conditions deteriorated inside their unit. Coverage by The Denver Gazette detailed emotional victim impact statements and tense courtroom moments as loved ones addressed the court. For many in the Tiffany Square community, the sentences bring some closure, but the rebuilding process, both emotional and financial, is far from over.
Legal Context
Colorado’s juvenile code uses determinate commitment terms to the Department of Human Services and caps how long an aggravated juvenile offender can be held based on the severity of the underlying offense. For adjudications that track with a class 1 felony, the law allows commitment of up to seven years. The statute also addresses presentence confinement credit and mandatory parole periods in many cases, which affect how a stipulated sentence translates into actual time served. The framework is laid out in Colorado Revised Statutes §19‑2.5‑1117.
Where the Case Stands Now
The second juvenile’s plea and sentence close out the criminal court proceedings after a competency review that began in early 2023. They follow an earlier guilty plea in 2023 by the co-defendant, who also received a seven-year term, along with 113 days of presentence confinement credit. The Denver Gazette reported details from that first sentencing hearing. Local coverage has noted that authorities are withholding the defendants’ names because both were juveniles at the time of the fire.
