Suspect arrested in relation to December double homicide in Fremont County

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) - Deputies announced Saturday that they had arrested a man suspected of killing two people in Fremont County back in December.

In late December 2022, deputies were investigating a structure fire in a neighborhood near Howard. The man who owned the structure that was on fire, 41-year-old Eric Escobedo, was located at the scene of the fire and transported to an area hospital to be treated for burns and exposure. Deputies said Escobedo was arrested at this time by Salida Police for an assault that occurred at a homeless shelter.

While investigating the fire and canvassing the neighborhood, deputies said they found 83-year-old Carl Cooper and 75-year-old Susan K. Cooper dead in a nearby home with signs of trauma. A few days later, these deaths were ruled homicides.

Officials said that Escobedo was arrested on Friday in connection to these deaths. Escobedo was arrested by Douglas County deputies before being transferred to the Fremont County Detention Center. According to officials, he is facing two counts of first-degree homicide and a few other charges. Officials said Escobedo was identified through DNA analysis.