What began as a pre-dawn argument inside an SUV in Greenwood Village has ended with a 22-year prison sentence for an Aurora man who admitted killing an 18-year-old driver.
Jorge Trujillo, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Jose Angel Hernandez, who was found shot inside an SUV on April 27, 2024. Prosecutors said the violence erupted after a dispute inside the vehicle and that witnesses watched Trujillo flee the scene. A judge later credited him with roughly 503 days already served in custody.
According to The Denver Post, Trujillo entered his guilty plea in Arapahoe County District Court, where he was represented by the Colorado Office of the State Public Defender. Court records reviewed by the paper show the 22-year sentence was imposed on Jan. 12, with the time-served credit reflected in the order. Prosecutors told the court that witnesses said Trujillo opened fire without warning, then ran.
Scene, Victim Identity and Investigation
Greenwood Village police say officers were called around 5:07 a.m. on April 27, 2024, and arrived to find Hernandez dead in the driver’s seat of an SUV stopped in the middle of the road. A Greenwood Village news release identifies the victim as 18-year-old Jose Angel Hernandez and notes the vehicle was found on East Union Avenue just east of South Yosemite Street.
Investigators emphasized the spot appeared random and was not connected to nearby Cherry Creek High School. Detectives say the people in the SUV had been arguing with two others in the vehicle before the shooting started, and Detective John Carr is listed as the lead investigator.
Court and Sentence Details
Trujillo, who is from Aurora, was admitted to second-degree murder and was sentenced in Arapahoe County District Court on Jan. 12, according to court documents and reporting by The Denver Post. The defense was handled by the Colorado Office of the State Public Defender, and the plea deal meant the case never went to a full trial.
Under the sentence, Trujillo is set to serve his time in the Colorado Department of Corrections, with his pre-sentence confinement counted against the 22-year term.
Arrest and Charges
Authorities say a warrant for Trujillo was issued in May 2024, and he was arrested later that summer. He was booked into the Arapahoe County Detention Center and held on a $1 million bond. CBS Colorado reported that the arrest came with help from the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
The Greenwood Village Police Department has characterized the homicide as random and continues to urge anyone with additional information to contact investigators.
Where the Case Stands
With Trujillo’s guilty plea accepted and the sentence handed down, the criminal case is effectively closed unless he seeks post-conviction relief. Court records remain accessible through Arapahoe County District Court for anyone seeking filings or transcripts, and Greenwood Village police continue to list Detective John Carr as the lead investigator on the case.
