Family Of Man Murdered On Memorial Day Wants His Legacy To Live On
By Jamie Leary
DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a 77-year-old Denver man murdered on Memorial Day is seeking justice and a way to keep his memory alive.
"We don't know what was going through Mike's head but he took our grandpa and he devastated our family. Roger wasn't ready to go," said Gina Garcia, the granddaughter of victim Roger Sanchez.
On Tuesday, the Denver District Attorney's office charged Michael Sell, 48, with the death of Sanchez.
Sell allegedly worked for Sanchez, doing odd jobs around his home. Sanchez's family says he frequently offered people work for room and board.
The two were driving to pick up landscaping material when charging documents say Sell attacked and robbed Sanchez.
Sanchez was found on the side of the road near 53rd and Washington by Good Samaritans. Sell allegedly stabbed Sanchez in the neck and head and pushed him out of his car.
"It's heartbreaking and ... it's just heartbreaking that he can do that to him after everything he did," said Garcia.
Sanchez passed away at the hospital but was able to identify Sell as the person who robbed and stabbed him before he died.
"That he can do that with no remorse and leave him on the side of the road and take his money and go back to his home; he went back to the house after the murder I don't know what for but he went back to the home after he left him on the side of the street," said Garcia.
Garcia described her grandfather as a character; and possibly to his downfall, the type of person who believed in dealing with cash over banks. When he was attacked, Sell allegedly robbed him of $8,000 in cash he was carrying in his pocket.
Garcia spoke to CBS4 Wednesday and said she is trying to focus on how her grandfather lived rather than how he died. She says he was a local legend.
"For a lot of people in Denver they knew him as the 'fireworks guy' or the 'chili guy' and that's who we want them to remember," she said.
"He was a legend and now he's gone and we have to keep his legacy alive."
Sanchez was stabbed just down the road from the fireworks store he owned for decades. He sold the building in 2008 but it is for sale again and his family hopes to buy it and change it back to what it was originally called: Roger's Fireworks.
Sell is in custody in Denver with no bond. He is charged with one count of murder in the first degree after deliberation, one count of murder in the first degree-felony, one count of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated motor vehicle theft.
Jamie Leary joined the CBS4 team in 2015 and currently works as a reporter for CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. She couldn't imagine a better place to live and work and will stop at nothing to find the next great story. Jamie loves learning about and hearing from her fellow community members, so connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @JamieALeary.
