AURORA, Colo. — An Aurora police officer has been indicted in the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Rajon Belt-Stubblefield during an attempted traffic stop last year.
An 18th Judicial District grand jury on Friday indicted Officer Matthew Neely in connection with the Aug. 30, 2025, shooting. Neely faces one count of second-degree murder, a class 2 felony, and one count of manslaughter, a class 4 felony.
Watch Denver7 Investigates senior reporter Jennifer Kovaleski's report on today's developments here:
The indictment was confirmed by the district attorney's office after Denver7 Investigates first reported that charges were expected.
APD said Monday morning that Neely is now on unpaid administrative leave. Friday afternoon, an arrest warrant was issued for Neely. He surrendered over the weekend and has since posted bond, which the court set at $200,000 cash or surety. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, August 17.
Neely's body camera video, released in the weeks following the shooting, and nearby surveillance cameras on 6th Avenue and Sable Boulevard in Aurora depict the moments leading up to the fatal shooting.
Neely reportedly attempted to pull over Belt-Stubblefield in a traffic stop. Body-worn camera shows Neely approach Belt-Stubblefield’s car with his gun drawn, demanding that Belt-Stubblefield put his hands in the air.
Police reports describe Belt-Stubblefield driving off, crashing into two vehicles at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Billings Street.
In the body-worn camera video, Belt-Stubblefield disregarded commands to put his hands in the air and moved to the sidewalk. Neely unsuccessfully tried to tackle him, and at that point, Belt-Stubblefield appeared to toss a gun into the grass.
He then advanced toward the officer for roughly 50 feet while the officer continued to shout commands for Belt-Stubblefield to get on the ground.
During this encounter, Belt-Stubblefield’s son could be heard on body-worn camera shouting “dad, chill,” “officer, chill,” and the officer tells him to “get on the ground.”
The officer took several steps onto 6th Avenue, firing three shots that hit Belt-Stubblefield in the chest and head, killing him.
In the days following the shooting, Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain defended Neely's actions. In a statement Monday, Chamberlain declined to comment on the merits of the case, saying that he "respects the judicial process."
"I will say this: police officers are routinely called on to address – sometimes in seconds – dangerous and rapidly evolving situations they did not create. I am confident that all the facts will be fully examined through due process. As with any case, these filing charges are not a determination of guilt," Chamberlain said in a statement Monday.
Community members and attorneys for Belt-Stubblefield’s family said Neely escalated the situation and that his life was not in danger since Belt-Stubblefield was unarmed when he was shot.
Watch Veronica Acosta's report here:
Earlier this year, Belt-Stubblefield’s family filed two notices of claim that they intended to sue the City of Aurora, with attorneys saying each lawsuit would be for at least $20 million in damages.
"It's not OK for police to kill people because they make a mistake, because they don't listen. We only allow police officers to take a life when their lives are truly in danger, and this officer's life was never in danger," attorney Milo Schwab, previously representing Belt-Stubblefield's family, said earlier this year.
The case has attracted the attention of national civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, one of the attorneys who represented George Floyd's family. Crump is now representing Belt-Stubblefield's family.
When the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office held a news conference Monday morning, the indictment was unsealed.
Schwab told Denver7 earlier this year that a grand jury is a less common tool used in Colorado, where a group of people is called to review a case.
Prior coverage:
- Grand jury to decide if Aurora officer faces charges in Rajon Belt-Stubblefield shooting
- Family of man killed by Aurora police intends to sue city for wrongful death, emotional distress
- Aurora community continues call for justice during vigil for Rajon Belt-Stubblefield
- Autopsy report shows Rajon Belt-Stubblefield was shot three times, had a BAC of .274
- Bodycam, surveillance footage shows fatal police shooting of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield, whose family responds
