Wheat Ridge, Colorado—Authorities in Wheat Ridge, a Denver suburb, have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the murder of Peter Damian Arguello, the jeweler fatally shot in his store last November. The Wheat Ridge Police Department announced the arrest of Michael McCormack, 50, late Thursday, marking a crucial development in the case.
McCormack faces a slew of charges, including second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and second-degree motor vehicle theft, according to police statements.
Allegedly, McCormack acted as an accomplice to Charles Robinson Shay, 41, of Aurora, Colorado, who was arrested in December after DNA evidence recovered from flex cuffs found at the scene implicated him in the crime. Shay was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder on January 18.
The victim, Peter Damian Arguello, 64, owned Peter Damian Fine Jewelry & Antiques, situated on W. 38th Avenue in Wheat Ridge, a short distance from Denver.
Details from the investigation revealed that during the robbery, captured on surveillance footage, one assailant brandished a firearm and attempted to restrain Arguello with flex cuffs. When Arguello resisted, he was shot three times, as outlined in an affidavit filed at the time of Shay’s arrest.
Following the shooting, two individuals were observed fleeing the scene through the store’s rear exit and driving away in a stolen red Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, previously reported missing from Glendale, Colorado, the month prior to the murder.
Authorities located the incriminating truck on December 1 in Centennial, Colorado, having been set ablaze and extensively damaged. Despite the vehicle’s condition, investigators recovered two hats from its bed, matching those worn by the suspects seen escaping the scene of Arguello’s murder.
Wheat Ridge Police Department disclosed that an arrest warrant for McCormack was issued on March 7, initiating a search effort spanning several weeks. With assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Wheat Ridge detectives finally located McCormack in the Black Hawk area, approximately 40 miles west of Denver. He was successfully apprehended on Wednesday, with the collaborative efforts of the sheriff’s office and the Black Hawk Police Department.
The arrest of Michael McCormack marks a significant stride forward in the pursuit of justice for Peter Damian Arguello and his family, as authorities continue to diligently investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
