Man Sentenced Nearly 7 Years After Deadly Stabbing
BRIGHTON, Colo. (CBS4)- An Adams County judge handed down a 55-year sentence for the man who murdered an apartment manager in Aurora.
Lyndsay Pham was found stabbed to death in her office nearly seven years ago.
For years her family has waited, first it was for investigators to figure out who was behind the brutal murder.
In the days following Pham's death, her husband Michael made a plea to the public for help.
"Whoever did this not only taking away a person who was very active in the community who would help anybody that needed help whether she know them or not but also took away a wife, and a mother," he said during a press conference announcing a reward for information.
Lyndsay Pham co-owned the apartment complex where she was found.
Police say Javier Aguirre and his girlfriend planned to rob Pham, even after she gave them jobs and a place to stay in the building.
The girlfriend was sent to prison but Aguirre escaped to Mexico.
The Pham family would again have to wait until 2015 when authorities were able finally track him down.
After negotiating with the Mexican government the Adams County district attorney had Aguirre extradited back to the United States, bringing the Phams one step closer to justice.
"We know he is going to be behind bars and not going to be able to do this kind of thing to anybody else," Pham said in 2015 after learning the suspect would finally face a judge.
After reaching a plea agreement Aguirre pleaded guilty Dec. 22 to second-degree murder and aggravated robbery.
On Friday an Adams County judge would sentence him to 55 years in prison.
As part of negotiations with the Mexican government the Adams County DA had to agree not to pursue the death penalty in the case.
According to the Adams County District Attorney's office Michael Pham told the court he agreed to a plea agreement with a stipulated sentence of 50 to 55 years to spare his three children from reliving the painful details of their mother's murder during a first-degree murder trial.
Karen Morfitt Joined the CBS4 team as a reporter in 2013. She covers a variety of stories in and around metro Denver. Connect with her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @karenmorfitt or email her tips.
