DENVER — Antonio Vasquez and Jason Trujillo Jr. were sentenced to prison on March 7, 2026, in Denver after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. The sentencing stems from a 2024 drive-by shooting outside the Denver Downtown Aquarium that killed 19-year-old Dacien Salazar.

Vasquez received a 40-year sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Trujillo Jr. was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Both defendants were initially charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.

The shooting occurred on Feb. 14, 2024, at 700 Water St. outside the aquarium. Police stated that Vasquez shot and killed Salazar while Trujillo Jr. drove the vehicle. Investigators said the pair traveled from southern Colorado to the Denver area with the intention of killing Salazar, who was visiting from Pueblo. Friends of Salazar told police he had received threats from gang members and Trujillo Jr. prior to the incident.

Denver District Attorney John Walsh addressed the case. "Dacien Salazar's murder was not just a tragedy for his friends and family, it was a crime that shocked countless Denver residents – a shooting in broad daylight in a busy public place," Walsh said. "The sentences ensure that Antonio Vasquez and Jason Trujillo will pay a heavy price for their cold-blooded actions." Vasquez was 21 and Trujillo Jr. was 19 at the time of sentencing. Vasquez was represented by the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender.