Gunnison County double homicide suspect says he feared for his life in arrest affidavit

He is charged with two counts of first degree murder, but court records say he shot two men because he fear for his safety.
Published: May. 9, 2023 at 2:33 PM MDT|Updated: May. 11, 2023 at 3:54 PM MDT
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UPDATE 3:45 p.m. May 11

GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. (KKCO) - The arrest affidavit for a man accused of double homicide in Gunnison County says that he pulled the trigger because he feared for his life.

Documents say that Zachary Baker, a 27-year-old Grand Junction man, met Fruita man Estefan Coronado and Clifton man Colin Roy Williams through mutual friends. Officials say that the three planned to pick up a Cadillac Escalade, but Baker became paranoid after hearing the other two discuss hiding a body.

Authorities state that the Coronado and Williams found and unloaded a gun Baker had with him, though the affidavit says that the two men were killed by gunshot wounds to the back.

Baker is set to be formally charged on May 16 and is due back in Gunnison County on May 26 for a combined court session.

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This is an update to a developing story. Previous coverage is below.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m. May 9

GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. (KKCO) - The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office has publicly identified a suspect and connected to the shooting of two men in Gunnison County. The two victims have also been identified.

Zachary Baker, a 27-year-old Grand Junction man, was arrested in connection to the slaying of 32-year-old Fruita resident Estefan Coronado and 45-year-old Clifton resident Colin Roy Williams. Both men sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the torso, according to deputies.

Police say that Baker was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree homicide.

The investigation is ongoing. Authorities say that the Colorado Bureau of Investigations and the Gunnison County Coroner’s Office are now both involved alongside the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office.

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This is an update to a developing story. Previous coverage is below.

GUNNISON COUNTY, Colo. (KKCO) - A man is in custody as a person of interest in connection to a shooting that killed two people in Gunnison County early Monday morning.

The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy patrolling West Gunnison on Highway 50 around 4:00 a.m. noticed a vehicle 50 yards off the highway in sagebrush.

When the deputy approached the vehicle, they noticed a man outside the vehicle. The sheriff’s office said the deputy also found two men inside the vehicle who had been shot.

Investigators say the men had multiple gunshot wounds to their torsos. Both men were declared dead at the scene. One man is behind bars as a person of interest.