Following the disappearance of a Lakewood man for two years, the individual whom Denver police suspect to be responsible for his murder is still at large. The last time anyone saw James Montoya was on April 2, 2023, while he was leaving the Hangar Bar in Lakewood.
Olivia Young, who was working for Colorado at the time, had a conversation with his family as they searched for him. After a period of two years, she paid a visit to their residence in order to acquire additional information regarding their grieving process and their pursuit of justice.
The family of Montoya has been waiting for justice over a period of two years.
She stated, “It’s already been so long, two years already, it’s been too long,” Jennie Patterson, James’s grandma, said.
James Montoya was a grandchild, son, brother, and boyfriend all at the same time.
When he came over, he would ask, “Grandma, what is it that you require?” Do you have any desires? Now is the time for me to go grab it. That is the kind of heart that he possessed, as you are aware,” Patterson stated.
“He was one of those people, the life of the party, and he always cared about the underdog,” commented Eddie Montoya, James’s father. “He was always concerned about the underdog.”
His family and friends have expressed that the 26-year-old is causing them pain with each passing day.
Patterson murmured, “My precious boy,” as he looked through the photographs of James. “That was him when he was a young child. When he was getting ready to go out, this is more like him than anything else.
Following his departure on that fatal evening in 2023, James never returned home.
When his family started looking for him, they discovered that he had parted ways with a man called Jesus Arvizo after leaving the pub. It is said that they called Arvizo and showed up at his house, but he did not provide them with any information regarding the events that took place that evening.
“It was four months of waiting and hoping and wishing that he was still alive, and only knowing that this person had done something,” said Corinna Montoya, James’s mother. “It was just knowing that this person had done something.”
The body of James was discovered by the CBI in Saguache County around the end of July 2023.
After an argument that took place in a car in Denver, Arvizo is believed to have shot James and then had his body disposed of by the Denver police.
There was a brief remark made by my son just now. It was clear that the individual was a very insecure person because he took it as an insult and shot my son. I mean, even after that, my kid made an effort to say something like, “Hey, dude, try to calm down.” Simply put, I was joking about with you. When asked about it, Corinna Montoya stated that it was not satisfactory.
A first-degree murder after the fact charge was brought against Amber Jean Dominguez by the police on September 5, 2023, in connection with the death of Montoya. In April of 2024, the charges that had been brought against Dominguez were reportedly dropped, as stated by the Denver District Attorney’s Association.
Despite the fact that Arvizo is wanted for murder in the first degree, he has not yet been located.
It is my want to go and seize him myself. To tell you the truth, all I require is… it’s not fair. According to Patterson, “Period.”
On the day that he pulled the trigger, he was already incarcerated, despite the fact that he has not yet been apprehended. In the words of Eddie Montoya, “He was incarcerated, and yeah, God help him the day they find him… the day the hammer comes down on him, justice.”
“We definitely feel like we got some closure with finding his body, which was a miracle, but we’d really like the capture of his killer,” Corinna Montoya expressed her feelings.
At the moment, James’ cremains are positioned beneath a Japanese red maple tree in the front yard of the Montoyas.
“We miss him as much as we can. They prevented us from having access to a really special individual,” Patterson stated. “There is that void that will always, always be there,” the speaker said. However, we are aware that he is also looking down on us. All of us are aware that he is an angel of God.
This family has faith that there is someone out there who can deliver them the justice they are looking for.
“I beg you to either take action or make a statement. Imagine that you are in our position. You are aware that we are waiting. It is imperative that he be held accountable, as stated by Corinna Montoya.
Despite this, justice will be carried out. “I have no doubt about that,” Patterson stated.
Please contact the Denver police department if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Jesus Arvizo. You can also call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-7867 to provide your information while maintaining your anonymity. During the year 2023, a reward of $2,000 was made available for information regarding Arvizo.
Colorado family hopes son’s killer will be caught 2 years after his murder.
