CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Officials on Tuesday identified the 5-year-old boy allegedly murdered by his 11-year-old brother at a Centennial home earlier this month.
The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Elias Reliford and determined his manner of death as a homicide.
Due to the suspect's age, authorities have not released the cause of death or further details about the investigation, leaving many questions unanswered.
Elias’ 11-year-old brother, whose name is being withheld because he is a juvenile, is accused of his death and was taken into custody after the March 10 homicide and charged with first-degree murder and as an aggravated juvenile offender.
Deputies discovered the homicide after responding around 5:30 p.m. to a home on S. Jericho Street near S. Jericho Way in Centennial, beginning the initial stages of the investigation.
Crime
11-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in death of 5-year-old brother
The investigation continued the next day, when deputies gathered evidence at the home using drones and a K-9 unit.
Reflecting on the gravity of the case, Sheriff Tyler Brown called it “one of the most difficult” cases his team has faced.
Amidst the tragedy, Elias was recognized by Timberline Elementary, where he was a kindergartner.
The school community is now providing mental health support for students and staff.
Elias’ family, meanwhile, told Denver7 the 5-year-old loved singing with his dad, playing pranks and games, and watching firetrucks.
To honor his memory, family and friends will remember Elias during a service in Louisiana.
The tragedy has also deeply affected neighbors, many of whom said they were struggling to process the news.
"It's really hard to accept something like this," neighbor Judy Rowse said. "I've known this neighborhood for a long time, and yeah, it's very hard to hear this."
Despite the community's shock, longtime resident Meher Noorulamin chooses compassion, reaching out to the boy's family instead of rushing to judgment.
"I think it's so easy to say, how did the parents not know? How did this happen? But without judgment, neighbor to neighbor, we're here for you," Noorulamin said.
Looking at the legal process, in Colorado, juvenile homicide cases for persons between the ages of 10 and 18 differ from the adult criminal system in that juvenile cases focus on rehabilitation, rather than punishment.
However, according to the Denver DA's Office, some juvenile homicide cases—typically for offenders aged 14–17—are moved to the adult system depending on the severity of the case.
Because this case is being handled in the juvenile system, the suspect's future court dates are not known.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
