A married man and woman were robbed and fatally shot while responding to an ad for a used car in Aurora, Colo., last month, in an incident that left five children without their parents, according to police.
The alleged murders happened in Aurora just before midnight on Aug. 14, according to a police affidavit obtained by CBS Denver. Jossline Roland, 40, and her husband Joseph Roland, 39, were found with gunshot wounds inside their car and later died in hospital.
The suspect admitted to killing the Rolands after luring them with a phony ad for a “used” SUV that had been stolen, according to the arrest affidavit. He also allegedly robbed them of $3,000.
Kyree Anthony Brown, 18, has since been arrested and is facing two charges of first-degree murder in connection with the incident.
Joseph Roland was responding to an ad for a 2017 Toyota Rav 4, which had been put up for sale on a car-swapping site, according to police. Joseph Roland often flipped cars and he brought his wife along for this particular late-night purchase, the affidavit says.
The Rolands met the suspect with the SUV at a mall in Aurora, but he claimed he’d forgotten papers for the vehicle at home and asked them to follow him, the affidavit says. The couple followed the suspect but instead of selling them the vehicle, he pulled a handgun on them and demanded they turn over the cash, the affidavit continues.
As the car started rolling forward Joseph grabbed the suspect, the affidavit says. The suspect allegedly shot Joseph intentionally and accidentally shot Jossline, then grabbed the cash, left the scene and tried to burn the stolen SUV, the document says.
Brown had used a fake ID to post the car ad, the Aurora Police Department alleges. The ad was posted online again the following day.
Police showed up at the Roland home shortly after the couple died on Aug. 15. A young boy opened the door and called his 17-year-old sister over when he saw police.
She told the officers that her dad had invited her to come along for the car sale, but she stayed behind so she could spend time with her boyfriend.
Authorities say they used cellphone records and online posts to track the suspect. He was arrested after a chase through Denver on Aug. 27.
The couple had a combined five children, the Denver Post reports. They are now being cared for by family.
“Joe and Jossline are irreplaceable and will be dearly missed,” the family said in a statement released by the Aurora Police Department. “Your continued support, respect for privacy, and prayers are most appreciated in this time of unimaginable loss and grief.”
A GoFundMe page to help the children has raised more than US$209,000 to date.
“No amount of money can replace what they lost,” a family friend wrote on the campaign page. “But maybe we can pull together and provide some financial security for them.”
Brown is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 29, according to Arapahoe County records.
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