Wheat Ridge, Colorado— Significant progress has been made in the investigation of the tragic shooting death of jeweler Peter Damian Arguello on Nov. 29, as law enforcement officials in Wheat Ridge, a suburb of Denver, are now urging the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office to consider murder charges against Charles Robinson Shay of Aurora, Colorado.
Charles Robinson Shay, 41, was taken into custody on Dec. 27 on charges related to the burglary of Arguello’s establishment, Peter Damian Fine Jewelry & Antiques.
Upon his arrest, an affidavit revealed that Shay confessed to entering the closed jewelry store on Dec. 26 by prying open the door. Shay justified his actions as a “crime of opportunity,” citing his knowledge that the store was unoccupied due to Arguello’s murder. Notably, Shay claimed to have refrained from taking anything as he found “nothing was there.”
However, Shay ceased cooperation with authorities when informed that his DNA had been discovered on a pair of flex cuffs left at the murder scene, as detailed in the affidavit.
The Wheat Ridge Police Department is advocating for the filing of charges against Shay, proposing first-degree murder, a class 1 felony in Colorado, along with two counts of second-degree murder, a class 2 felony, to the district attorney’s office.
In a news release, the police department expressed unwavering determination to seek justice for the Arguello family, stating, “We think about the Arguello family every day, and our resolve to bring them justice drives our investigators throughout this process.”
Citing the ongoing investigation, authorities have refrained from disclosing further details about the case.
Individuals possessing information relevant to the case are encouraged to contact the Wheat Ridge Police Department tip line at 303-235-2903.
