COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Nicholas Jordan, the man who shot and killed two people inside a University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) dorm room in February of last year has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Jordan was arrested in the shooting deaths of UCCS student Samuel Knopp and Pueblo resident Celie Montgomery last February, just days after the deadly shooting occurred.
The jury deliberated for less than a day before reaching a verdict.
- The Fourth Judicial District Attorney's office held a news conference shortly after the jury reached their verdict. Watch it in the video player below.
Jordan's sentencing came shortly after a jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Samuel Knopp and Celie Montgomery. The two victims were found shot multiple times in Knopp’s bedroom inside the quad-style dorm room. Jordan was Knopp’s roommate.
Montgomery's father shared a written statement in front of the court before sentencing on Wednesday. He said his family has spent the last year in deep heartache, but also had hope for justice. He said he never felt hate for the person who murdered his daughter. Instead, he felt an overwhelming sense of loss and the need to understand why someone would commit such an act.
During the suspect’s trial, both the prosecution and defense agreed Jordan committed the shooting. The prosecution said Jordan committed cold-blooded murder, while the defense argued the suspect felt threatened and acted in self-defense.
The defense argued Jordan had gone into the dorm to use the bathroom and was likely confronted by Knopp with a baseball bat, which was later spotted in the room.
During closing arguments, the prosecution recapped evidence like Jordan purchasing the weapon weeks before the shooting, key card logs showing he was the last person to enter the dorm building before the shooting, and video of him leaving. The prosecution also said gunshot residue was found on Jordan.
- View initial coverage of the UCCS shooting from February 2024 in the video player below.
___
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.
