Brothers indicted on murder charges in 2021 Green Valley Ranch killings

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DENVER — Two brothers have been indicted on counts including first-degree murder in the May 2021 shooting deaths of two young men in Denver’s Green Valley Ranch neighborhood.

Sergio Rodarte Jr., 24, and Andrew Rodarte, 23, were indicted by a grand jury on Oct. 5. Both face four counts of first-degree murder under different theories, and each face four counts of possession of a weapon by a previous offender — Sergio as an adult and Andrew as a juvenile.

The two are accused of shooting and killing Mariceo Negrete and Josiah Salas at a house party at a home in the 4700 block of North Odessa Street in the early-morning hours of May 1, 2021.

According to the indictment, the Rodarte brothers were members of a gang who had an ongoing spat with a gang that Negrete was a part of. The two decided to go to the party armed with handguns and dressed in hoodies.

When they got to the party, according to the indictment, the brothers found out Negrete was on the back patio. They pulled up their hoods, put on blue surgical gloves and masks, and went outside.

The brothers got into an argument with Negrete, and Sergio Rodarte Jr. pulled out a .45-caliber handgun, while his brother had another handgun of an unknown caliber, according to the indictment.

They blocked the door to the patio so no one could get in or out. Sergio fired his gun eight times, hitting both Negrete and Salas, the indictment says.

The Office of the Medical Examiner found Salas died of three gunshot wounds to his back, while Negrete died of multiple gunshot wounds to his back and arms. Sergio Rodarte Jr. was arrested in early June.

Investigators found pictures of the two brothers holding guns at Barnum Park during their investigation. They also learned that Sergio Rodarte Jr. had a previous assault with a deadly weapon felony conviction out of Larimer County from 2019 and Andrew had convictions for vehicular eluding and escape from felony conviction from 2015 and 2017, respectively.

The indictment does not contain further information as to what led investigators to identify the brothers as the suspects. Both are due in court Dec. 9 for a bond hearing, according to the district attorney’s office.

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