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William Taft Arrested In Jefferson County On Charges Of Murdering Acquaintance

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - William Robert Taft, 49, was jailed Sunday on murder charges after another man died at a local hospital from a gunshot wound the previous day. Taft's arrest charges also included Possession of a Weapon by a Previous Offender, and Violation of a Mandatory Protection Order, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

JCSO deputies were called to the 5000 block of McIntyre St. in unincorporated Jefferson County west of Arvada. They found 40-year-old Michael Bryan with a gunshot wound and arranged his transport to a hospital where he passed away.

In a press release, a JCSO spokesperson said the two men were acquaintances.

Detectives were also said to be interviewing several witnesses, but the department has asked for any others to please call in. JeffCo's tip line (303) 271-5612.

No other details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident or the investigation were released.

William Robert Taft (credit Jeffco Sheriff)
William Robert Taft (credit: Jefferson County Sheriff's Office)

Taft had three current warrants for his arrest at the time police handcuffed him for Bryan's murder. All three warrants were for misdemeanors that occurred in Jefferson County. Two of them involved involved violation of protection orders.

Online criminal records show Taft has had seven previous arrests for violation of protection orders.

He was sentenced to two years in the Colorado Department of Corrections in 2012 for an Arapahoe County case related to the possession of explosive devices.

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