AURORA | An Arapahoe County judge sentenced an Aurora man Thursday to life in prison after being convicted of murdering his girlfriend in September 2014.
Elmo Jesse Johnson, 45, was sentenced after being found guilty of first-degree murder of his girlfriend, Danielle Stephanie Griego, who was 24 at the time of the killing. Johnson also was found guilty of one felony count of menacing with a weapon, as well as two violent crime sentence enhancers.
Prosecutors said that Griego was living with her mother and Johnson was staying in the living room of his sister’s apartment in the same complex. Johnson was married and had another girlfriend at the time of the killing.
According to testimony presented during the eight-day trial, Johnson’s sister was awake about 2 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2014, and heard Griego say, “Oh my god, what are you doing?” right before hearing Johnson say “Shut up!” and two gunshots shortly thereafter. Johnson’s sister said she went back to sleep despite hearing the confrontation and gunshots.
When she woke up the following morning, Johnson’s sister noticed her brother asleep on the couch. Later in the afternoon, Griego’s mother came to the apartment to find her daughter, whose body was found on the couch underneath Johnson, who was unconscious.
Johnson later denied the report of the confrontation and shooting. His case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Sugioka and Deputy District Attorney Grant Fevurly.
“In her short life, Danielle Griego suffered tremendously at the hands of the defendant, only to have him take her life in one of the most terrifying and violent ways possible,” District Attorney George Brauchler said following sentencing. “The defendant is a murderer, an abuser and deserves every minute he will spend in prison.”
After sentencing, Fevurly spoke very highly of Aurora police investigators for their work on the case.
“The Aurora Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit meticulously investigated this complex case so that we could keep the defendant accountable,” Fevurly said. “Without their work to track down the details surrounding Danielle’s death, it would have been much more difficult to get justice for Danielle. We hope that the jury’s verdict and the judge’s sentence will give some peace to Danielle and her family.”
Judge Michelle Amico presided over the case.
Forget life. Send this murdering beast to HELL now…hang him!
Fitzgerald is supposed to have said the rich are different from you and me. Apparently the poor are, too. The sister hears screams and gunfire, and just goes back to sleep? Then the killer passes out on top of a dead body? That sure is different.
Everyone involved in this case is an addict. The police left behind a multitude of evidence, including the victims admissions of her wrongdoings. Yes, a woman is dead. Yes, this was a bad dude. But the media will NEVER tell the story for what it really is. Drug users, drug dealers, prostitution, and alcoholism….this was the result of choosing that life. It’s sad & disgusting. But so is media BS.