At approximately 2:14am on Sunday, May 16, officers were dispatched to a report of an assault that took place at a business in the 2200 Block of Colex Drive. When officers arrived on scene, they located an adult male laying on the ground outside the business, unconscious and not breathing. A previous release regarding this incident can be found here. The victim was later identified as 56 year old Gary Hiner, of Crawford. Officers performed CPR on Mr. Hiner until medical personnel arrived and transported him to the hospital where he was ultimately declared deceased. The Mesa County Coroner determined the cause of death to be blunt force injuries and the manner of death is homicide.
An extensive investigation by detectives with the Grand Junction Police Department led to the identification of a suspect in this case. A warrant was obtained and earlier this month, Dominic Trujillo, age 27, of Grand Junction, turned himself in to the Mesa County Detention Facility on one charge of Reckless Manslaughter, a class 4 felony.
Our hearts go out to the families and friends who are grieving the loss of their loved one due to this tragedy. We are grateful for the patience and cooperation of our community during this investigation.