FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Officials say a mishandled investigation into the shooting death of a Colorado State University student will allow his roommate to avoid prison.
Authorities say 22-year-old Colemann Carver was given a deferred sentence in a plea deal following errors in a police investigation of 21-year-old Finnegan Daly’s death.
Carver pleaded guilty to felony tampering with evidence at a sentencing hearing Wednesday in Fort Collins.
Deputy District Attorney Ashley Barber says police made errors in the first investigation including missed forensic tests that could have led to a successful prosecution.
Prosecutors say Carver’s deal allows him to withdraw his guilty plea and have his record sealed in two years if he meets all terms of his supervision.
Fort Collins police closed the first investigation and ruled the January 2018 shooting an accident after two months.
A second investigation began after the family asked for reconsideration of overlooked evidence, including a social media photo that contradicted Carver’s account of the shooting.
