John Jefferson
Top inset: Bryce Holden (KUSA). Bottom inset: Victor Salazar-Guarache (Thornton Police Department). Background: The Topgolf parking lot in Colorado where Holden was killed (KUSA).
A Colorado man has pleaded guilty to shooting two co-workers in the Topgolf parking lot where they all worked, killing one and wounding the second before laughing about the fatal violence as he made his getaway.
Victor Salazar-Guarache, 27, pleaded guilty on Thursday to second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder in the death of 22-year-old Bryce Holden and the wounding of a Topgolf manager. The agreement carries a 48-year prison sentence.
The series of events leading to the bloodshed happened on Dec. 22, 2023, when Salazar-Guarache left work early, according to an arrest affidavit in the case obtained by Denver-based ABC affiliate KMGH.
Law&Crime previously reported that the defendant worked as a dishwasher at the Topgolf in Thornton, a large city 10 miles north of Denver and part of the broader metropolitan area. It was unclear why he left early that night.
Police say the defendant was gone for an hour or so, having left before the end of his shift at 11:42 p.m. that night. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Salazar-Guarache leaving the establishment in his car.
Just over an hour later at 12:50 a.m., Salazar-Guarache returned, according to the Thornton Police Department. At roughly the same time, other employees were leaving their shifts at the popular driving range. Among them were Holden, 22, also a dishwasher, and a kitchen manager.
Police say Salazar-Guarache was already back and parked when the two were walking out. Then, the defendant allegedly got out of his car, assumed a “shooting stance,” and began firing at the pair, according to an affidavit obtained by the Denver Gazette. Holden was shot multiple times and fell to the ground, police say, while the kitchen manager was able to avoid being shot as he ran back inside.
The defendant allegedly continued to shoot the victim after he was down, police say. Salazar-Guarache allegedly fired a total of 12 shots before getting back inside his car and driving away.
According to the affidavit obtained by KMGH, a Lyft driver happened to be picking up a passenger from the Topgolf just as the shooting occurred. That driver, turned witness, told law enforcement he saw Salazar-Guarache laughing as the alleged killer returned to his vehicle.
Holden died at a hospital.
Salazar-Guarache was arrested a few hours later on Interstate 25 — the section of U.S. Route 87 that traverses the Mile High State.
Holden’s family was shattered.
“He was my baby,” the victim’s father, Rod Holden, told Denver-based NBC affiliate KUSA. “He was always making jokes. He would have a smirk on his face when he was sitting there razzing ya. That’s just how he was.”
Bryce Holden was teaching himself Spanish and planned to move to Barcelona within the next two years, his father said.
“Bryce had deeply rooted values,” Rod Holden told KUSA. “He was always trying to improve himself. He always tried to see the best in everybody, but if he thought you could do better, he would call you out on it. There’s a face behind the news story. There’s a soul behind the news story, and I want people to know that.”
In a statement to the TV station, Topgolf said: “We are shocked and heartbroken by the incident that occurred in our Thornton venue parking lot, and we grieve for those impacted by this senseless act,” the statement reads. “We are cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies, whom we appreciate greatly, and we are focused on providing support to our Topgolf team during this difficult time. As this is an ongoing police investigation, we will not be commenting further at this time. We also want to salute all other first responders who assisted with skill and care.”
Salazar-Guarache is set to be sentenced on Oct. 11. He remains in police custody with bail set at $2 million.
Law&Crime’s Colin Kalmbacher contributed to this report.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Read the full article here