ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. – A 17-year-old teen from Englewood was sentenced Thursday to seven years in the Department of Correction's youth offender system for killing a well-known Denver chef in October of 2016.
Louis Lara-Macias, 17, was also sentenced to 21 years in the Department of Corrections, suspended upon completion of seven years in the Department of Corrections’ youth offender system, according to a spokesperson for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. If he completes his youth term without getting in trouble, Lara-Macias will avoid prison as an adult.
Lara-Macias received the sentence as part of a plea agreement that saw the teenager plead guilty to second-degree murder on Oct. 19, 2017 for the death of Nick Lewis, chef of the Blackbird Public House. All other charges against Lara-Macias were dropped, the spokesperson said.
Court documents state Englewood police responded to a call of shots fired back in Oct. 1, 2016 in the area of South Acoma Street and West Cornell Avenue.
Lewis was found lying on his back in the sidewalk and it appeared he had been shot in the chest. He was pronounced dead at Swedish Medical Center. A coroner’s report found he was shot three times and died from a wound to his heart.
Lara-Macias and another teen were arrested in connection with the case after investigators traced a stolen car out of Denver on Sept. 28, 2016 and were able to connect the suspects to the murder of the Denver chef.
“This was on purpose and totally planned out,” said Lewis’ 12-year-old sister, who was present during sentencing. “Nick is gone forever and will never be coming back… He did not deserve this – none of us did.”
Lewis was walking home from a convenience store when Lara-Macias shot him at random during a crime spree, according to the DA spokesperson.
Raheem Vaugh Benson, 16, who was also arrested in the case and who is being charged as an adult, pleaded not guilty to the crime. His next court date has not been set.
