Okie Payne is expected to be charged with first-degree murder and felony menacing for the death of Ricardo Medina-Rojas, who was shot in the head at the Legacy Assisted Living facility in Lafayette.
A 95-year-old Colorado man is facing a murder charge after he allegedly confessed to killing an employee of the assisted living facility that he was a resident of, according to an arrest warrant affidavit released by police, Denver7 reported.
Okie Payne is expected to be charged with first-degree murder and felony menacing for the death of Ricardo Medina-Rojas, who was shot in the head at the Legacy Assisted Living facility in Lafayette. Payne is currently being held without bond, CBS4 Denver reported.
Payne appeared in court Friday for an initial advisement hearing and has been assigned a public defender. He is scheduled to be back in court on Feb. 10 for the filing of formal charges, CBS4 reported.
According to the arrest affidavit, Payne shot Medina-Rojas in the head in the facility’s lobby after confronting him about allegedly stealing $200 from his wallet, CBS4 reported.
Payne told investigators he thought staff were "trying to kill him and take all his money,” according to the arrest affidavit from the Lafayette Police Department, 9News reported.
He also alleged that he thought his ex-wife was working with the staff to try and steal all his money. Police said all of those claims were investigated by the Lafayette Police Department and Adult Protective Services and none have been substantiated, CBSN Denver reported.
According to the arrest affidavit, Payne told police that he woke up Wednesday morning, thinking about putting a stop to the alleged thefts. He watched Medina-Rojas come into the building and waited for him to complete safety checks, police said.
Payne said he then confronted Medina-Rojas and asked him about his money, according to the affidavit. When Medina-Rojas responded, Payne shot him once in the head, Payne told police, according to the affidavit, Denver7 reported.
Officers responded to a shooting at Legacy Assisted Living located at 225 Waneka Parkway about 7 a.m. Upon arrival, police found Medina-Rojas shot and Payne in his room, where they took him into custody, Lafayette Colorado police said in a statement.
Medina-Rojas, a maintenance director at Legacy Assisted Living, had been transported to a nearby hospital and was put on life support but later died from the injuries he sustained in the shooting, police told the AP.
In an interview with detectives, Payne allegedly said that staff at Legacy had told him he could not have a gun if he was living there. They confiscated a rifle and a handgun from him, but Payne allegedly said he still had a pistol, which he said was his father’s from World War I, CBS reported.
The staff at Legacy Assisted Living, who were shaken by the tragedy, said in a statement that “their thoughts and prayers are with our employee and their family, as well as our residents and staff.” They created a GoFundMe page for the Medina-Rojas family that has raised close to $5,400 of its $50,000 goal.
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