Second man charged in Glenwood Springs murder case

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — A second man has been charged in a murder case in which a young Salvadoran man allegedly was killed by the stepfather of an 18-year-old girl the young man was living with.

The two men were in court Monday to face charges over the killing of Douglas Menjivar at an apartment complex south of Glenwood Springs on July 31.

The alleged shooter, 39-year-old Fredy Argueta Cabrera, of Carbondale, faces first-degree murder charges and possibly the death penalty over allegations that he shot and killed Menjivar, 21, and wounded 18-year-old Leydy Trejo in the apartment complex south of Glenwood Springs where Menjivar and Trejo were living together.

The second man, Josue Israel Joya, 20, of Basalt, allegedly drove Cabrera to the apartment complex south of Glenwood Springs on the night of July 31, waited until he heard several gunshots and then drove away, leaving Cabrera at the scene.

Joya, who was approached by police Aug. 4 at the home he shared with his father in Basalt, admitted after lengthy questioning that he knew Cabrera and had been with him for much of the day July 31. The two had driven around Carbondale in Joya’s Jeep sport utility vehicle, with Cabrera drinking beer the whole time, before heading to the apartment complex south of Glenwood Springs, Joya allegedly told police.

According to an affidavit supporting a warrant for Joya’s arrest, Joya told police he had not seen Cabrera again after he heard the gunshots and drove off.