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DENVER (KDVR) — The owner of an Airbnb in Evergreen is feeling devastated after renters over the weekend left her home trashed following a large party.

Karen Martiz has operated an Airbnb for the last few years, a secluded space in the mountains she never thought would be treated the way it was recently. This weekend, a renter checked in to stay from Saturday to Sunday.

Martiz says she heard them talking on a security camera in the back of the home, hearing a much larger group than she expected.

“I just had a feeling in my gut that it wasn’t going to be good,” she said.

When she got to the home after they left, walking up the stairs to the front door left her speechless.

“There was alcohol everywhere,” said Martiz. “We probably put away easily 300, 400 bottles.”

Trash everywhere, her furniture stacked in one room she believes to make room for a rave in her living room. And alcohol wasn’t the only substance left behind.

“Small bags with a pink powder in it,” said Martiz.

The smell of cigarettes still lingers a day later, with cigarette butts even thrown into a tree outside.

“We have signs all over the house that no smoking is allowed,” said Martiz.

And the gum. Everywhere you step, there is gum in the carpets, even on the walls and ceiling.

“I mean, I’ve never seen so much gum in my life,” said Martiz. “So we scraped gum from my kitchen, from my living room. We have to change the entire carpet.”

Martiz said her Airbnb listing only allows for a handful of people to stay at a time. The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office estimates that 80 to 100 people were there.

“I just feel so disrespected, so violated,” said Martiz.

The sheriff’s office is investigating and thinks gang activity was involved. The office told FOX31 it believes members of a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, were present but did not share why. Martiz has contacted Airbnb for help, hoping the company will reimburse her.

“We’re just trying to share our homes, make a decent living and just, you know, have a normal life,” said Martiz.

She says with all the clean-up effort that has to be put into the homes, she’s unsure if she’ll ever be able to rent it out as an Airbnb again.

DENVER (KDVR) — A 43-year-old man and his 17-year-old son have been arrested for the murder of the teenager’s mother in early July, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Charles Christopher Martinez and his son Hevon Martinez are both facing a single charge of first-degree murder of Chrystal Snow, 38, who was found dead in the 1000 block of County Road 700 near Pagosa Springs on July 2. Hevon was already in custody for separate charges, and will be tried as an adult in his mother’s homicide, CBI said.

Law enforcement became aware of Snow’s death when an open-line 911 call was received at about 2:20 a.m. on July 2, causing deputies to respond to the residence. They found her “shot during an apparent homicide,” according to a previous CBI release.

Another one of Snow’s children went missing in July after they were located with an aunt in Cortez on July 2, prompting an Endangered Missing Alert issued through CBI.

The child, who will not be identified due to their age, was placed in the custody of the Department of Human Services on July 16, which is the same day that investigators learned Charles was seen with the child.

The Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, Cortez Police Department and 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office all worked with CBI in this investigation.

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver’s City and County Building is getting an estimated $400,000 makeover during the next year.

The building is constantly changing — whether it’s displaying colored lights for certain events or its historical tradition of lighting up for the holidays — but the newest addition to the outside of the building will take a little bit longer to complete.

According to the City and County Building Landscape Transformation Project, the city plans on converting the bluegrass turf currently around the building to a prairie with mostly native grasses and wildflowers. The project also plans to replace the irrigation system to help support the native landscape while conserving water.

Here’s a rendering of the final product, budgeted to be $400,000:

The design process took place over the summer and the project said it will continue into the winter. Then, construction will begin with irrigation improvements starting first.

By the spring and summer of 2025, the landscape transformation should be complete.

DENVER (KDVR) — Just over two years ago, one woman’s life changed forever when her mom was taken from her unexpectedly. Now, she’s using the trauma she endured to give back to others in similar situations.

In late September 2022, 68-year-old Darlene Grass was shot and killed while standing on her doorstep in Englewood.

Lindsie Grass remembers the long drive to her mom’s house that night.

“It was a wall of red and blue lights, crime scene tape,” said Grass.

Her mom was shot and killed by a man running through the neighborhood with a gun and tactical vest.

“That was really hard: To lose not only your best friend but your only parent in the same night,” said Grass.

The killer was sentenced earlier this year. Grass says she chose to leave the courtroom with her head held high, not letting him take her life away as well.

“That was kind of my moment to take my power back,” she says.

She’s now funneled that energy into a nonprofit, Focused Halos.

“To try and help people get through this and just to be there and let them know they’re not alone,” explained Grass.

An avid photographer, Grass offers photo sessions in return for donations.

“A lot of people don’t have those photos of their parents or their loved ones or their friends,” she said.

Grass captures memories like the ones she clings to of her mom and uses the money to give back to people dealing with similar situations to her. She says daily things like personal care were a struggle at times.

“Things that you don’t think about doing on a regular basis, I couldn’t even think about it,” said Grass.

So her self-care packages help make it easier.

“Lotion, shampoo, conditioner, soap, washcloth,” Grass said, listing the items inside.

Additionally, each one comes with a journal to help express feelings.

“A journal and a pen really got me through a lot of my hard times,” said Grass.

Giving back, she says, is how she knows her mom is looking down on her proudly.

“She always told me that I was going to make a change in this world. I just never knew that it would be at this capacity,” said Grass.

Grass chose the name Focused Halos purposely, with focuses representing the camera lens and halo for her mom. She’s currently working with agencies around the state to get those care packages to the people who need them. Focused Halos also accepts donations without doing a photoshoot via an Amazon Wishlist, which can be found here.

DENVER (KDVR) — It has been quite the offseason for the Denver Nuggets.

They had several players forego a summer of rest to represent their countries in the Olympics, signed two stars to major contract extensions and experienced some significant roster changes which included losing a two-time NBA champion and adding a former MVP.

With the recent announcement from Kroenke Sports and Entertainment about the future of the development of Ball Arena and the Nuggets remaining in Denver until 2050, there is a lot for this organization and city to look forward to.

The Nuggets’ upcoming 2024-25 season

The Nuggets begin their new season on Thursday at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The first game of the season usually has little consequence but it is always a good feeling to get the season started with a win. The timing of this game is not the important part, but rather the opponent.

The Thunder have the second-best odds of winning the NBA championship this year. The Thunder are in the Northwest Division with the Nuggets which means they will have to play each other four times. With championship ambitions of their own as the fifth-highest favorite, the Nuggets are going to have to send a message to this young Thunder team.

To make matters worse, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team that knocked the Nuggets out of the playoffs last year are also in the division. The Timberwolves have the sixth-best odds of winning the NBA title. There are very rarely three championship-caliber teams in one division and whoever wins the division could very well be the team that set themselves up for the best run in the postseason.

The championship window

The Nuggets are very invested in the “win now” philosophy. With one ring as a jumping point, they know that the next few years may be their best chance at building a dynasty.

Over the offseason, they penned two of their star players to major contract extensions. That will keep their core of stars containing Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. in Denver for three more seasons.

The organization’s job now becomes finding the best pieces to put around this group of four and pushing for as much success as they can. Bringing in a former MVP, Russell Westbrook, in free agency shows that they are not opposed to making big moves to try and go all in for the foreseeable future.

Taking a look a long way down the road

While the Nuggets are in a prime position to succeed right now it is always smart to keep one eye on the future.

Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, the group that owns the Denver Nuggets and Ball Arena, announced that the team will remain in Denver through 2050. The announcement was dropped when Kroenke Sports revealed its plans to make Ball Arena and the surrounding area, a sports hub with a new neighborhood and community to be introduced in what is now the parking lots of the Ball Arena.

Kroenke Sports also owns the Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Mammoth who have both brought a championship to Ball Arena since its renaming.

The ownership group is dedicated to their Denver sports teams, making them the focal point of their future plans while integrating into the nearby community. The teams have repaid and spurred this effort with their recent success and will look to carry that momentum into the future and continue to expand the lore of their franchises and the city around them.

DENVER (KDVR) — A new memorial in Louisville aims to honor the lives often overlooked in the deadly Marshall Fire in 2021: The hundreds of pets who were unable to make it out.

It’s estimated that the Marshall Fire killed more than 1,000 pets across the thousands of acres it burned. Now in Louisville, residents have a new place where they can remember them.

Manuela Lehti, a Louisville resident, remembers the Marshall Fire like it was yesterday.

“It was scary,” she said.

Having to evacuate from her home, she says her son quickly left the house with only two things.

“He said ‘I didn’t care about clothes. I just- Helo and my insulin and that’s all I needed,’” said Lehti.

Helo is the family dog, who she and her other son, Sven, walked in the Louisville Arboretum on Monday, stopping at the new memorial for pets lost in the fire.

“If someone had lost a pet, that moment of just talking about that, you could tell nothing else really mattered,” said Caleb Dickinson.

Dickinson, Louisville’s mayor pro-tem and chair of nonprofit Louisville Rising, said that’s why they decided a memorial was necessary. Honoring all kinds of animals lost beyond just cats and dogs.

“Lizards, snakes, birds, rabbits — all of those,” he says.

Sven Lehti said having a place to remember them is more than just about pets.

“It’s a part of your family and, for a lot of kids, that’s their companion from as young as, as long as they can remember,” said Sven.

He said he can’t imagine how being forced to leave an animal behind would feel.

“That’s a decision I’m glad I didn’t have to make,” said Sven.

It’s a trauma Dickinson said they wanted to give a space to heal.

“That part’s real and there’s a lot of trauma there and there’s a lot of stuff people are still working through and I think identifying it and recognizing it is important,” said Dickinson.

The memorial was paid for by donations made to Louisville Rising. The artist behind it, Michael Garman, is a firefighter as well, which Dickinson says was the only choice because he knew his heart would be in it.

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — About 80 members of Colorado Task Force 1 returned home Monday after spending weeks deployed in the southeast helping hurricane victims.

The FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team is made up of first responders from the area and is sponsored by West Metro Fire Rescue.

Some people were gone for 12 days, but others were gone for nearly three weeks. Rick Peterson’s family was there waiting for him as his vehicle pulled into the training center in Lakewood.

“Knowing that he’s out there helping people, we are very proud of him,” his wife, Tammy Peterson, said. 

About 45 members of the task force were originally deployed to North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Then about 80 were sent to Florida after Hurricane Milton. They helped with search and rescue efforts and assessed damage to nearly 40,000 buildings in the Clearwater area. That region was affected by both hurricanes.

“We saw a lot of wind damage to structures. We saw the flood damage on structures,” said Brian Ertle, the task force leader.

The group used everything from dogs to boats to large equipment to get the job done.

“We found people that had sheltered in place and they were without power, food and water and we were able to direct them to the right areas,” Ertle said.

As the group unloaded their gear, Ertle said they would be ready to go again when called.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Ross Colton scored twice, Justus Annunen made 25 saves in his first start of the season and the Colorado Avalanche beat the winless San Jose Sharks 4-1 on Sunday.

Cale Makar had an empty-net goal and two assists, and Joel Kiviranta also scored for Colorado. William Eklund scored for San Jose.

Colton has five goals in his last three games, also scoring twice Friday night in Anaheim in Colorado’s first victory of the season. He gave Colorado a 2-0 lead in the first period, connecting on a power play at 6:23 and at even strength with 3:23 left.

Makar has 10 assists through six games, and has points in each one.

Eklund cut it to 2-1 late in the first. Joel Kiviranta gave Colorado a 3-1 lead midway through the third, and Makar added the empty-netter.

Vitek Vanecek stopped 18 shots for San Jose.

Takeaways

Avalanche: Colorado is carrying three goalies on its three-game trip. Alexandar Georgiev — the NHL victory leader last season — has struggled to start the season. Georgiev backed up Annunen on Sunday. Kaapo Kahkonen, who was claimed off waivers from Winnipeg, could get a start on the trip.

Sharks: San Jose, which did not win its first game last year until November, is one of two teams (Nashville) still without a victory.

Key moment

The Sharks outshot the Avalanche after giving up two early goals, but Kiviranta’s forehand-to-backhand goal midway through the third after a pinpoint feed from the point by Josh Manson stunted San Jose’s momentum.

Key stat

San Jose, which allowed seven power play opportunities in each of its prior two contests prior to Sunday, had to defend a 5-on-3 power play for the third straight game.

Up next

Avalanche: At Seattle on Tuesday night.

Sharks: At Anaheim on Tuesday night.

DENVER (KDVR) — Snowflakes are flying at places like Loveland Ski Area and A-Basin but no opening dates have been announced yet. However, one ski area in Southern Colorado has its opening day already announced.

Wolf Creek Ski Area, located in Archuleta County near Pagosa Springs, will open for full-week operations beginning Tuesday, Oct. 22, with 21 inches of snow accumulated during the most recent snowstorm. The ski area reported about 16 inches of snow depth midway down the mountain, and the National Weather Service is forecasting several inches of snow for elevations over 9,000 feet in western Colorado.

The ski area said the Bonanza, Treasure and Nova Lifts will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., which will provide recreationists with access to roughly 30% of the mountain. Additionally, the Magic Carpet (a people mover) will be open for the Wolf Pup and Wolf Rider programs.

The ski area is discouraging uphill traffic at this time due to heavy equipment and snow-making operations. A good alternative is to hike up Lobo Overlook.

Lift tickets are set to cost $68 for adults, $49 for seniors and $34 for children.

Opening day festivities will be held Tuesday, and skiers and boarders who wear the anniversary colors of red and gold will receive a commemorative 85th-anniversary sticker. Activities are planned throughout the season that will offer skiers and snowboarders chances to win prizes and swag.

DENVER (KDVR) — An adult male died after a shooting in Denver early Sunday morning, according to the Denver Police Department.

Police said the shooting happened in the area of East Colfax Avenue and Josephine Street. The area is near the border of the City Park and Congress Park neighborhoods.

The victim was pronounced dead on the scene, and it is being investigated as a homicide.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

DENVER (KDVR) — The third Saturday of each October marks National Move Over Day, and the day emphasizes the need for drivers to slow down and move over for emergency and maintenance vehicles.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, every day CDOT maintainers and construction crews, law enforcement officers, emergency responders, and tow truck operators risk their lives to help keep Coloradans safe. 

Jason Hendley, owner of Big Toe Towing, said it is almost expected that a tow truck operator will get hit by a car in this line of work. 

“I’ve had multiple drivers hit over the years from drivers failing to slow down and move over,” Hendley said. “It’s a real possibility that a driver is going to be hit and or killed in this industry. “

The Bureau of Labor Statistics agrees with him even stating that, on average, two emergency responders – including tow truck workers – are struck and killed every month by a motorist who fails to obey the law by moving over to an adjacent lane and allowing the roadside rescuers the space to operate.

In 2023, Colorado enhanced its Move Over law to provide more protection to not only maintenance workers and emergency responders, but any Coloradan who finds themselves stopped on the side of the road.

It requires drivers to move over or slow down to 20 miles per hour if they encounter a stopped vehicle with their hazards or flashing lights engaged.

National Move Over Day is dedicated to increasing awareness of the risks and what can happen if drivers fail to slow down or move over not just on Saturday, but every day a driver hits the road.

“There is no reason for anyone who responds to crashes or repairs our roadways to lose their life,” said John Lorme, CDOT’s director of maintenance and operations. “Slowing down and moving over is a simple way to help protect CDOT workers, law enforcement, first responders and tow truck operators. These emergency, maintenance and construction personnel work in dangerous situations all the time, but drivers really increase that risk for them when they drive too fast, are distracted or under the influence and ignore flashing lights – behavior that is all against the law.”

If a driver fails to move over or slow down and is ticketed, it is a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense and will result in a $150 fine and a three-point license violation.

DENVER (KDVR) — Every election, there are some ballots with missing signatures, signature discrepancies and identification deficiencies — but there’s also an easy way for most of those ballots to be “cured.”

At least there is in Colorado: Voters with issues on their June 25 ballot have until July 3 to fix those issues, or “cure” their ballots. They can implement that fix with ‘Txt2Cure,” a tool the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office offers any Colorado voter with a mobile phone.

“Txt2Cure enables Coloradans to easily fix a ballot issue like a rejected signature or missing ID, and is especially helpful for younger voters who have fewer signatures on file,” said Secretary of State Jena Griswold in a release.

But what is an uncured ballot? According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, it’s simply any ballot that has been rejected because the signature on the envelope was missing or didn’t match the signature on file with the Clerk and Recorder’s Office, or that the voter (who was required to) did not include a photocopy of an acceptable form of ID. Not all voters are required to include a photocopy of their ID.

County clerks will contact voters with a signature deficiency or ID deficiency with information on how to fix it at their local county clerk’s office, or by using Txt2Cure. Voters who enrolled in BallotTrax will also be notified by message, email or a phone call.

To use Txt2Cure, voters will text the word “Colorado” to “2Vote,” or 28683, and follow the link provided in a reply. Voters using the tool will need their voter ID number and an acceptable form of ID. If you already know your ballot will need to be cured, you can use your voter ID number to log in to Colorado’s online voter registration system, GoVoteColorado.gov.

Individuals who did not submit a ballot but are told their ballot was rejected can log on to the Txt2Cure website, 2vote.mobi, and check the box to say they did not return a voted ballot.

The program was launched statewide in 2020 and has since been used by more than 32,000 voters to ensure their vote is counted.

July 3 is the last day for voters to cure their Primary Election ballots. It is also the last day that county clerks can receive military and overseas ballots. County audit boards must report the results of the bipartisan Risk Limiting Audit to the Secretary of State’s Office on July 16, and the Secretary of State can certify the primary election as early as July 22.

DENVER (KDVR) — More thunderstorms and warm temperatures are in Denver weather for the start of the workweek.

Weather tonight: Showers, warm

A few showers and thunderstorms will linger Sunday night. Temperatures will stay on the warm side, and only fall to the mid-60s.

Weather tomorrow: Clouds, few showers

Clouds will linger on Monday, followed by an increasing chance for a few showers and storms by the afternoon. Temperatures will be slightly above normal, reaching 90 degrees.

Looking ahead: Seasonally warm, isolated storm chances

Tuesday will start off mainly sunny ahead of the chance for a few afternoon showers and storms.

Temperatures will be cooler but seasonal, reaching the mid to upper 80s. Wednesday will be similar with increasing clouds, a high near 90 and a chance for afternoon storms.

July Fourth is on track to be seasonally warm, with a high in the upper 80s and plenty of sunshine.

Another brief cooldown moves in Friday with a high in the mid-80s, ahead of sunshine and a high near 90 degrees next weekend on both Saturday and Sunday.

DENVER (KDVR) — The heat returns Sunday as high temperatures max out in the lower 90s alongside the chance for afternoon showers and storms.

Weather today: 90s return

Denver is back in the 90s Sunday under partly cloudy skies. This is a little bit above average for this time of the year.

The area will also see scattered showers and storms by the late afternoon hours, some of which will bring heavy downpours and gusty winds along with thunder and lightning.

There is an air quality alert in effect up until 4 p.m. Sunday, and any sensitive groups should remain indoors.

Weather tonight: Mostly cloudy, some storms

Thunderstorm chances stick around through the early evening hours before things dry out. Overnight low temperatures sink down into the middle 60s. Winds will be out of the south anywhere from 5-15 mph.

Looking ahead: Staying warm, more storm chances

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will follow the same pattern of sunshine in the mornings followed by a chance for some showers and thunderstorms by the afternoon.

Temperatures all three days will be near seasonal, reaching the upper 80s to lower 90s.

July 4 is on track to be mainly sunny with an afternoon high near 90 degrees, and an isolated chance for a shower or thunderstorms by the afternoon. Thursday evening, temperatures in Denver will fall to the 70s after sunset during fireworks displays.

SUPERIOR, Colo. (KDVR) — The Marshall Fire in 2021 destroyed hundreds of buildings, including many historic mining structures in Superior.

On Saturday, one of those buildings celebrated the completion of its rebuild. The Superior Historical Museum is ready to open its doors to the public once again.

“Superior didn’t just lose 400 homes and businesses, we lost a lot of our history,” Mayor Mark Lacis said

While many of those structures are still being rebuilt more than two years later, the Superior Historical Museum is back up and running.

“After the fire, there was nothing left here but the basement, the basement full of ash,” Larry Dorsey, a member of the Superior Historical Commission said.

A historic building itself, the museum was in an old mining cottage more than 100 years old. Jim Lastoka from Louisville wore a mining outfit to the ceremony, one similar to his grandfather’s back in the 1890s.

“His job was to weigh the coal that the miners dug,” Lastoka said.

His grandfather bought a home similar in style to the museum in 1906. It still stands today.

“My daughter and granddaughter live there and my granddaughter is now the fifth generation to live in that house,” Lastoka said.

He has donated several items to the museum, which currently sit at a different location waiting to move into the new building. He said it’s been a pleasure to share the area’s past with new generations.

“Coming from a mining tradition, mining history, I like to keep it alive,” Lastoka said.

Alive like the museum is once again, in the exact same spot it stood before, rising from the ashes to share Superior’s past with the present.

“To see it come back from that to this has been really, really rewarding,” Dorsey said.

The Superior Historical Museum is located in Asti Park at 110 W. Maple Street.

DENVER (KDVR) — The Westminster Police Department was searching for a suspect in a deadly stabbing at a hotel Saturday morning.

The incident happened at the Super 8 motel in the 12000 block of Melody Drive around 9:10 a.m.

Officers arrived on the scene and found an adult man suffering from a stab wound to the chest. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died.

The suspect left the area and police were

The suspect was described as a Hispanic male, 6 feet, 2 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a dark brown or reddish-colored hoodie or long-sleeved shirt and black pants.

He may be armed with a knife, police said. If you see him, call 911 immediately.

The suspect was known to the victim, according to police.

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Family members have identified a kayaker who went missing days ago as Uriel Rodriguez-Lopez. After an extensive search, the 24-year-old’s body was found in a reservoir in Larimer County, near Loveland.

Uriel had a passion for fishing and loved being on the water, but the dangers of the water combined with dicey weather conditions are what suddenly ended his life.

Deyanira Rodriguez-Lopez, Uriel’s sister, shared with FOX31 that her brother was kind, generous and had a big heart with an even bigger sense of humor. She said he valued and enjoyed the simple things in life.

“When he wasn’t with family, he was on the water. His dreams were to fish,” Rodriguez-Lopez said. “He was an amazing father. He was the best provider for his girls and wife. He was the best little brother I could’ve ever asked for.”

On Tuesday, Uriel had the day off work and decided to go fishing and kayaking alone on Lon Hagler Reservoir. But as it got dark outside and a storm rushed through, his wife, Isabella Lopez, began to worry.

“A few more hours went by and he still didn’t text me, and I seen his location and he just looked like he was at the same place for hours and hours,” Lopez said.

Lopez said she called authorities for help as her worst fears started to settle in.

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said they got the call for a kayaker who was overdue around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday and their search, involving multiple agencies, began that day.

“I felt like time was going by so fast, but so slow,” Lopez said.

‘The storm just came on him too fast’

The sheriff’s office said Uriel’s kayak was found by a recreator the night before, on Tuesday. His body was discovered by authorities on Wednesday evening.

“That day there was very very strong winds. It was very crazy,” Rodriguez-Lopez said. “The storm just came on him too fast and he really didn’t know what to do.”

The Fort Collins man leaves behind a wife and two baby girls: a 2-year-old and a 9-month-old.

In the blink of an eye, Lopez has become a single mother and is left to take care of an infant and toddler alone. If you’d like to help make sure they have everything they need and help with expenses to lay Uriel to rest, click here.

Rodriguez-Lopez is crushed that her baby brother is gone.

“My whole life flashed in my eyes. My whole life with him, every memory, every time I’ve ever seen him,” Rodriguez-Lopez said. “The first thing that ran through my head was I didn’t say I love you.”

Authorities confirm that Uriel was recovered without a life vest on.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is stressing the importance of wearing a life jacket and provided FOX31 with alarming statistics when it comes to water-related deaths.

A state record of 42 deaths was set in 2022, 32 deaths occurred in 2023, and so far this year, 22 water-related deaths have already happened — and summer is not in full swing yet.

CPW and this grieving family are pleading that a life jacket can mean the difference between life and death.

“Have your life jacket on,” Rodriguez-Lopez said. “Please do not go on the water without it. Please, it would’ve saved my brother’s life.”

DENVER (KDVR) — Fire crews responded to two wildfires that were reportedly human-caused at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday.

According to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, the South Adams Fire Department, Adams County Fire Rescue and the Brighton Fire Rescue responded to the brush fires. The refuge was consequently closed and those visiting were asked to exit the park.

Thankfully, the crews were able to contain the fires within a few hours. However, Rocky Mountain Arsenal said the fires were human-caused and the investigation is ongoing. The wildlife refuge did not say if any suspects were in custody.

The wildlife refuge is asking anyone with information about the wildfires to call the Refuge Law Enforcement line at 303-289-0930. The tipline is monitored even if the visitor center is closed.

Due to the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, the wildlife refuge said fire staff will have an increased presence for the next two weeks.

While many Americans prepare to set off fireworks for the upcoming holiday, several fire agencies are issuing a warning after a handful of brush fires have already been reported across the metro.

South Metro Fire urged the public to “err on the side of caution when it comes to fireworks and prioritize the well-being of yourself and your community. By refraining from using illegal fireworks, you can help prevent accidents and minimize the risk of fires during this hot and dry period.”

To report the use of illegal fireworks, call your local law enforcement’s non-emergency line. Call 911 if there are injuries or if a fire is threatening lives or property.

DENVER (KDVR) — Sources tell FOX31’s partner station in El Paso, Texas, that a federal law enforcement operation there on Thursday night is linked to a violent Denver jewelry store heist earlier this week.

The family-owned Joyeria El Ruby was targeted on Monday afternoon in an armed robbery captured on video. Some eight people wiped out the store and violently attacked the family members inside, threatening to kill them and even ripping their personal jewelry.

Family members told FOX31 that Joyeria El Ruby was cleaned out in three minutes. Surveillance cameras captured clear images of the suspects, which may have helped law enforcement track them down.

Video submitted to KTSM on Thursday showed a heavy law enforcement presence at a Motel 6 in El Paso. A helicopter hovered above as several armed law enforcement officers in SWAT gear entered a room with shattered windows and walked at least one person out in handcuffs.

Homeland Security Investigations confirmed to KTSM that it was conducting a law enforcement operation with its Denver office and the Denver Police Department. Here’s the full statement from a Homeland Security spokesperson:

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso and HSI Denver along with our partners in the Denver Police Department have initiated an authorized law enforcement activity this evening in El Paso. As this is part of an ongoing investigation any further questions would need to be directed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.”

Leticia Zamarripa, spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations

Sources told KTSM that the operation is connected to the jewelry store robbery suspects, but no further information was immediately available.

FOX31 is continuing to follow this development. Check back for updates.