Suspect Arrested In Deadly Shooting At Cherry Creek State Park

By Tom Mustin

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Deputies have arrested the man they believe shot and killed another man at Cherry Creek State Park on Sunday.

Joseph Wayne Washington was arrested and faces first-degree murder charges in the deadly shooting of Jackson Chavez.

Chavez, 26, was shot to death while attending a cookout at Cherry Creek State Park.

CBS4's Tom Mustin was in court Tuesday with the victim's family, when Washington made his first appearance.

"No parent should ever have to go through it, ever."

Jesse Chavez spoke outside the Arapahoe County courthouse after seeing his son's accused murderer face to face.

"It took everything I had in me not to jump over that aisle and attack him, " he told Mustin.

Sunday night, Chavez was shot multiple times after a fight during a cookout at Cherry Creek State Park.

Monday, Aurora police and the Rocky Mountain Safe Streets task force arrested Washington.

"Obviously I'm very excited they made an arrest," said Jesse Chavez.

Chavez says his son loved the outdoors. He came to Colorado six months ago from California to start a new life.

"He was very excited to move back to Colorado. He'd been spending a lot of time on different rivers and climbing different peaks."

Jesse says Jackson made friends easily, and had no enemies, "Everybody who met him, touched him, fell in love with him in some way shape or form."

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office is not releasing many details on what led to the shooting.

Jesse is hoping the arrest will give his family some closure.

"All my focus is on my son right now. So the law is going to take care of what needs to happen to this murderer and we'll just let that play out."

A plea for justice from the grieving father of a son gone far too soon, "I love him and I miss him. I don't think a day will ever go by where I don't think about him."

Washington is being held without bond on suspicion of first-degree murder. He'll be back in court Thursday morning to be officially charged.

Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.