Defendants Sentenced for Murder Outside Denver Aquarium

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that Antonio Vasquez was sentenced today to 40 years in prison, while Vasquez’ brother, Jason Trujillo, Jr., was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Vasquez and Trujillo both previously pleaded guilty to Second-Degree Murder.

On February 14, 2024, Vasquez shot and killed 19-year-old Dacien Salazar during a drive-by shooting outside Denver’s Downtown Aquarium.  Trujillo drove the car that was used in the shooting.

“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. Today’s sentences ensure that Antonio Vasquez and Jason Trujillo will pay a heavy price for their cold-blooded actions,” said DA Walsh.  “I want to thank the prosecutors, investigators and victim advocates in my office, as well as Detectives Mary McIver and Adam Lucero of the Denver Police Department’s Homicide Unit, whose fantastic work resulted in the successful resolution of this case.”

Chief Deputy District Attorneys Kate Horton and Katie Kirk led the prosecution team for the Denver DA’s Office.

About the Denver DA’s Office:

The mission of the Denver DA’s Office is to protect the community, to seek equal justice for all, and to improve the quality and fairness of criminal justice on behalf of the people of Colorado. We achieve that mission through excellence in our work investigating and prosecuting crime, supporting victims and their families, working with the community to prevent crime, and providing fair alternatives to incarceration in appropriate cases.

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