Two men have now admitted to second-degree murder in the drive-by shooting that killed 19-year-old Dacien Salazar outside Denver’s Downtown Aquarium on Feb. 14, 2024. According to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, closing a long investigation that began after Salazar was gunned down while visiting the aquarium with friends.
According to Denver7, the defendants, 19-year-old Jason Trujillo and 21-year-old Antonio Vasquez, each pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder. Matt Jablow, spokesperson for the Denver District Attorney’s Office, confirmed the plea dates and the March 6 sentencing date. The two were originally arrested in May 2024 and were charged with first-degree murder in a news release from the Denver DA's Office.
Salazar had traveled from Pueblo to Denver to visit the aquarium with two friends on Valentine’s Day, investigators said, according to CBS Colorado. As the group left the building, a black sedan pulled up and someone in the car opened fire. Salazar was the only person struck and later died at a hospital. Police initially said the attack did not appear to be random and urged the public to come forward with any information.
How Investigators Connected The Dots
Detectives linked the Denver shooting to an earlier incident in Pueblo by matching shell casings, according to a news release from the Denver DA's Office. They also leaned on surveillance video and phone records to build their case.
Records showed a phone associated with one of the defendants pinging near the aquarium for roughly 10 minutes before the shooting. Surveillance footage captured two people leaving a hotel just before the attack and returning later that night, as reported by FOX31. Investigators say a temporary tag was removed from a four-door sedan near REI, and detectives later located a Chevy Malibu that was tied to one of the suspects.
Pleas And What Comes Next
Vasquez entered his guilty plea on Dec. 19, 2025, and Trujillo followed on Jan. 16, according to Denver7. The Denver District Attorney’s Office told reporters that Vasquez admitted to firing the fatal shots and that prosecutors are seeking a lengthy prison term.
9News reported the DA’s statement that prosecutors will recommend a 40-year sentence for Vasquez and that Trujillo faces up to 20 years. A judge will ultimately decide their punishment at the March 6 sentencing hearing.
What Second-Degree Murder Means In Colorado
Under Colorado law, second-degree murder is generally charged as a class 2 felony and is governed by statute. The law lays out the elements of the crime, and sentencing guides indicate that a conviction can carry decades in prison, often in the 16-to-48-year range depending on aggravating factors and judicial discretion. For more on the legal framework and potential penalties, see the Colorado Revised Statutes and reporting by ShouseLaw.
Salazar’s family has repeatedly urged anyone with information to come forward, and Metro Denver Crime Stoppers and police increased a reward early in the investigation to help generate tips, as reported by the Denver Gazette. The March 6 hearing is expected to draw close attention from Salazar’s family and from downtown residents still rattled by a killing that unfolded outside one of the city’s most popular attractions.
