UPDATE IN JUNE-READ BELOW-----Irene Trujillo was born in Newfoundland September 5, 1955. When she was two years old, her mother died of kidney disease. Her family moved to Colorado and Irene graduated from Littleton High School. She enjoyed fishing, boating, bicycling and water skiing. Her dad described her as "full of life." Irene married Rick Trujillo. She gave birth to three girls: Shayla, Felicia and Marisa. Living in Montrose, Colorado, the couple owned a decorative rock business with Bob Martinez who grew up with Rick. Irene was fighting alcoholism but had been dry for one year according to her father. She was getting a divorce from her husband when she disappeared on April 9, 2003. She was later found, a victim of homicide. Currently an unsolved case.
On June 16, 2003, her body was found buried in a shallow grave on her property. The 47-year-old woman had been shot to death. Her body was badly mutilated, burned with various accelerants on a pile of income tax records and covered with concrete and rock shale.
Her dog had been killed and laid on top of her with some trash. "It was clearly an attempt to destroy forensic evidence or prohibit an identification of the body if it was found," said Montrose County Coroner Mark Young. Evidence was still being analyzed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in June of 2004.
Authorities have been unable to meet with three or four key persons of interest who have refused to be interviewed on advice from their attorneys.
IPRESS:
MONTROSE - More than three years after Irene Trujillo was found burned, shot and mutilated in a shallow grave, a suspect has been indicted for her murder.
Lionel Lopez, 23, allegedly argued with Trujillo days before she went missing in April 2003 and is said to have lied to police about the last time he'd seen her. According to an indictment handed down by a Montrose grand jury Tuesday afternoon, he rented the presumed murder weapon, a .270 mm rifle, from friends and might have used bullets Trujillo herself bought for him.
Lopez now faces charges of first- and second- degree murder, District Attorney Tom Raynes announced. The decision to indict was unanimous, according to a note the grand jury foreman wrote on the document.
UPDATE---
MONTROSE, Colo. (AP) — A man accused in the death of a Montrose woman whose remains were found buried at a rock quarry has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Lionel Lopez pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of accessory to first-degree murder in the 2003 death of 47-year-old Irene Trujillo.
The three years, 55 days since his daughter vanished were "indescribable, a nightmare" for the former Arapahoe County detective, who has undertaken his own investigation and offered rewards for information leading to an arrest. Though he said Lopez bears responsibility, Sungaila also believes more people were involved in Trujillo's death. Neither he nor law enforcement officials would comment on the possible motive behind the slaying.
"She was just something wonderful from the day of her birth, all the way up until the day of her disappearance," Trujillo's father, Rick Sungaila told the Daily Press. He said he hadn't expected an indictment.
Jurisdiction: Montrose County Sheriff
Detective: Sgt George Jackson
On June 16, 2003, her body was found buried in a shallow grave on her property. The 47-year-old woman had been shot to death. Her body was badly mutilated, burned with various accelerants on a pile of income tax records and covered with concrete and rock shale.
Her dog had been killed and laid on top of her with some trash. "It was clearly an attempt to destroy forensic evidence or prohibit an identification of the body if it was found," said Montrose County Coroner Mark Young. Evidence was still being analyzed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in June of 2004.
Authorities have been unable to meet with three or four key persons of interest who have refused to be interviewed on advice from their attorneys.
IPRESS:
MONTROSE - More than three years after Irene Trujillo was found burned, shot and mutilated in a shallow grave, a suspect has been indicted for her murder.
Lionel Lopez, 23, allegedly argued with Trujillo days before she went missing in April 2003 and is said to have lied to police about the last time he'd seen her. According to an indictment handed down by a Montrose grand jury Tuesday afternoon, he rented the presumed murder weapon, a .270 mm rifle, from friends and might have used bullets Trujillo herself bought for him.
Lopez now faces charges of first- and second- degree murder, District Attorney Tom Raynes announced. The decision to indict was unanimous, according to a note the grand jury foreman wrote on the document.
UPDATE---
MONTROSE, Colo. (AP) — A man accused in the death of a Montrose woman whose remains were found buried at a rock quarry has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Lionel Lopez pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of accessory to first-degree murder in the 2003 death of 47-year-old Irene Trujillo.
The three years, 55 days since his daughter vanished were "indescribable, a nightmare" for the former Arapahoe County detective, who has undertaken his own investigation and offered rewards for information leading to an arrest. Though he said Lopez bears responsibility, Sungaila also believes more people were involved in Trujillo's death. Neither he nor law enforcement officials would comment on the possible motive behind the slaying.
"She was just something wonderful from the day of her birth, all the way up until the day of her disappearance," Trujillo's father, Rick Sungaila told the Daily Press. He said he hadn't expected an indictment.
Jurisdiction: Montrose County Sheriff
Detective: Sgt George Jackson
UPDATE IN JUNE-READ BELOW-----Irene Trujillo was born in Newfoundland September 5, 1955. When she was two years old, her mother died of kidney disease. Her family moved to Colorado and Irene graduated from Littleton High School. She enjoyed fishing, boating, bicycling and water skiing. Her dad described her as "full of life." Irene married Rick Trujillo. She gave birth to three girls: Shayla, Felicia and Marisa. Living in Montrose, Colorado, the couple owned a decorative rock business with Bob Martinez who grew up with Rick. Irene was fighting alcoholism but had been dry for one year according to her father. She was getting a divorce from her husband when she disappeared on April 9, 2003. She was later found, a victim of homicide. Currently an unsolved case.
On June 16, 2003, her body was found buried in a shallow grave on her property. The 47-year-old woman had been shot to death. Her body was badly mutilated, burned with various accelerants on a pile of income tax records and covered with concrete and rock shale.
Her dog had been killed and laid on top of her with some trash. "It was clearly an attempt to destroy forensic evidence or prohibit an identification of the body if it was found," said Montrose County Coroner Mark Young. Evidence was still being analyzed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in June of 2004.
Authorities have been unable to meet with three or four key persons of interest who have refused to be interviewed on advice from their attorneys.
IPRESS:
MONTROSE - More than three years after Irene Trujillo was found burned, shot and mutilated in a shallow grave, a suspect has been indicted for her murder.
Lionel Lopez, 23, allegedly argued with Trujillo days before she went missing in April 2003 and is said to have lied to police about the last time he'd seen her. According to an indictment handed down by a Montrose grand jury Tuesday afternoon, he rented the presumed murder weapon, a .270 mm rifle, from friends and might have used bullets Trujillo herself bought for him.
Lopez now faces charges of first- and second- degree murder, District Attorney Tom Raynes announced. The decision to indict was unanimous, according to a note the grand jury foreman wrote on the document.
UPDATE---
MONTROSE, Colo. (AP) — A man accused in the death of a Montrose woman whose remains were found buried at a rock quarry has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Lionel Lopez pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of accessory to first-degree murder in the 2003 death of 47-year-old Irene Trujillo.
The three years, 55 days since his daughter vanished were "indescribable, a nightmare" for the former Arapahoe County detective, who has undertaken his own investigation and offered rewards for information leading to an arrest. Though he said Lopez bears responsibility, Sungaila also believes more people were involved in Trujillo's death. Neither he nor law enforcement officials would comment on the possible motive behind the slaying.
"She was just something wonderful from the day of her birth, all the way up until the day of her disappearance," Trujillo's father, Rick Sungaila told the Daily Press. He said he hadn't expected an indictment.
Jurisdiction: Montrose County Sheriff
Detective: Sgt George Jackson
On June 16, 2003, her body was found buried in a shallow grave on her property. The 47-year-old woman had been shot to death. Her body was badly mutilated, burned with various accelerants on a pile of income tax records and covered with concrete and rock shale.
Her dog had been killed and laid on top of her with some trash. "It was clearly an attempt to destroy forensic evidence or prohibit an identification of the body if it was found," said Montrose County Coroner Mark Young. Evidence was still being analyzed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in June of 2004.
Authorities have been unable to meet with three or four key persons of interest who have refused to be interviewed on advice from their attorneys.
IPRESS:
MONTROSE - More than three years after Irene Trujillo was found burned, shot and mutilated in a shallow grave, a suspect has been indicted for her murder.
Lionel Lopez, 23, allegedly argued with Trujillo days before she went missing in April 2003 and is said to have lied to police about the last time he'd seen her. According to an indictment handed down by a Montrose grand jury Tuesday afternoon, he rented the presumed murder weapon, a .270 mm rifle, from friends and might have used bullets Trujillo herself bought for him.
Lopez now faces charges of first- and second- degree murder, District Attorney Tom Raynes announced. The decision to indict was unanimous, according to a note the grand jury foreman wrote on the document.
UPDATE---
MONTROSE, Colo. (AP) — A man accused in the death of a Montrose woman whose remains were found buried at a rock quarry has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Lionel Lopez pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of accessory to first-degree murder in the 2003 death of 47-year-old Irene Trujillo.
The three years, 55 days since his daughter vanished were "indescribable, a nightmare" for the former Arapahoe County detective, who has undertaken his own investigation and offered rewards for information leading to an arrest. Though he said Lopez bears responsibility, Sungaila also believes more people were involved in Trujillo's death. Neither he nor law enforcement officials would comment on the possible motive behind the slaying.
"She was just something wonderful from the day of her birth, all the way up until the day of her disappearance," Trujillo's father, Rick Sungaila told the Daily Press. He said he hadn't expected an indictment.
Jurisdiction: Montrose County Sheriff
Detective: Sgt George Jackson
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