Man Pleads Guilty In Broomfield Murder Case

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4)- A man accused in the murder of a Westminster man has pleaded guilty in the case.

Matthew Burnett pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of James Clifford Fernandez.

Police in Broomfield rushed to a report of a man lying in the street in the 2500 block of 134th Circle on Aug. 17, 2013. When they arrived they found Fernandez, 34, of Westminster. He had spent the evening with Burnett and Carissa Koch at 2551 W. 134th Circle.

An arrest affidavit states Burnett attacked Fernandez after finding him in a "compromising position" with his wife. Fernandez sustained head trauma during the struggle.

Burnett was initially charged with first-degree murder after deliberation. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday at his arraignment hearing.

He also pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. This was a separate case involving more than 100 videos and images of child pornography found on Burnett's computer when police searched his home after Fernandez was killed.

Burnett will be sentenced May 23 in Broomfield County District Court.

Koch was charged as an accessory to murder after the fact and destruction of physical evidence. She is set for trial on July 21.