Lafayette Murder Suspect Okey Payne, 95, Allegedly Confessed To Shooting Ricardo Medina-Rojas In Head

LAFAYETTE, Colo. (CBS4) - The 95-year-old man accused of shooting an employee at his assisted living center in Lafayette is facing a charge of first-degree murder. A police report released on Thursday states Okey Payne confessed to killing Legacy Assisted Living employee Ricardo Medina-Rojas.

Investigators say Payne believed workers at the facility, located at 225 Waneka Parkway, were stealing from him, drugging him and ultimately trying to kill him. He also allegedly thought his ex-wife was working with the staff to try to steal all of his money. Police say all of those claims were investigated by the Lafayette Police Department and Adult Protective Services and none have been substantiated.

The arrest affidavit states that Payne shot Medina-Rojas in the head in the facility's lobby Wednesday morning after confronting him about stealing $200 from his wallet. Payne then went back to his room and police arrested him there.

In an interview with detectives, Payne allegedly said that staff at Legacy had told him he could not have a gun if he was living there and had taken a rifle and a handgun from him. Okey still had a pistol, which he said was his father's from World War I.

Legacy released a statement about the shooting to CBS4 on Wednesday saying they are "devastated by the incident."