OTERO COUNTY, Colo. — More than seven years after being accused of killing his significant other, a Rocky Ford man was convicted of first-degree murder this month.
On Dec. 10, a jury in Otero County convicted Edward Lawrence Aragon, 40, of Rocky Ford, in the homicide of Amanda M. Velasquez Ybarra, 40, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Earlier this month, Aragon was found guilty of first-degree murder. On Dec. 16, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The murder charge stems from July 24, 2015, when officers with the Rocky Ford Police Department responded to a home along the 600 block of S. 8th Street, where they found Ybarra deceased, CBI said.
Investigators determined that Ybarra and Aragon were in a relationship at the time of the shooting. Ybarra was staying in the home with Aragon, according to CBI.
Aragon was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
The Rocky Ford Police Department investigated this case, along with CBI, Otero County Sheriff’s Office and the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
"The Office of the District Attorney would first thank the family of the victim who have shown patience, grace, and strength in the face of an unimaginable loss," said 16th Judicial District Attorney Will Culver. "The office would also thank the hard work and dedication of our law enforcement partners with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Otero County Sheriff’s Office and the Rocky Ford Police Department."
