EL PASO COUNTY — Two men involved in the July 2018 robbery of an illegal marijuana grow in El Paso County are heading to prison following sentencing hearings this week.
Colin Matthew Kellet and Terrell Deshon Hall both pleaded guilty to felony attempted robbery and first-degree burglary earlier this year. Kellet was sentenced to 31 years in prison. Hall was sentenced to 21 years.
According to prosecutors, Kellet and Hall planned to rob a marijuana grow and storage facility on Highway 94 between Marksheffel Rd and Curtis Rd. During the incident, 46-year-old Gustavo Del Sol Sanchez was shot and killed. Although the defendants were originally charged with first-degree murder for the killing, the charges were not pursued fully.
Deputies shot and killed a third suspect wanted in connection to Sanchez's death, 18-year-old William Bacorn, on the same day as the robbery. That shooting was ruled justified by the district attorney's office .
Backstory on the investigation
As law enforcement was investigating the original robbery and homicide scene, they followed the evidence to the home where Del Sol Sanchez's vehicle was registered. That property was the site the of another suspected illegal marijuana grow.
The 4th Judicial District says deputies were notified of several armed men at 19290 Loop Road who were in the process of loading an SUV with bundles of marijuana. Deputies arrived to find marijuana product inside a trailer, blood on the floor of the trailer, a broken window to the home, and shotgun shells all around the area. No one was found inside the home.
The owner of the property, other adults and small children voluntarily stepped out of the home to speak to deputies. According to the DA’s Office, the property owner said no one else was on the property and agreed to show them around as they cleared the area. The report notes the man had to be reminded to let deputies enter first for safety.
As the group approached the barn, the owner pushed open the door before a deputy pulled him out of the way. That’s when El Paso County Deputy Wheat went to make entry to the darkened barn, turned to find a man armed with a shotgun pointed at him, then fired more than once at the suspect. William Bacorn died at the scene. A deputy had minor injuries from shrapnel. An investigation determined Deputy Wheat acted in self defense.
Following the shooting, deputies again spoke with the homeowner about whether anyone else was on the property. The report states the owner said Bacorn, a former roommate, had threatened to harm his family if he revealed any information to law enforcement.
The District Attorney's Office believes Bacorn, Kellet and Hall were all working together in the attempted robbery and the burglary. Law enforcement did not capture Hall and Kellet until November 2018.
