A Larimer County judge on Thursday sentenced Tylen Grays, 37, to 36 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for a shooting in Old Town Fort Collins that killed a 31-year-old man and injured a 29-year-old woman in August 2024.
Prosecution says attack began after verbal dispute
According to a press release from the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Fort Collins Police Services responded to a shooting in a parking lot in Old Town on Aug. 11, 2024. The release identified the man who died as Keiter Baez Morales, 31, and said he was transported to a hospital where he later died from gunshot wounds. A 29-year-old woman who was shot recovered from her injuries.
Eyewitness accounts, as summarized by prosecutors, say Grays was not known to Baez Morales or the group with him and became angry during a confrontation. Despite attempts by Baez Morales to de-escalate, Grays drew a handgun and fired multiple shots at the group before fleeing the scene and discarding the firearm in a nearby dumpster, the release said.
Investigation, identification and arrest
The DA’s office said investigators conducted a large-scale probe to identify and locate the suspect. A local bar permitted law enforcement to access its identification card scanning machine, which helped investigators identify Grays as a suspect. Law enforcement later determined Grays had left Colorado for Michigan, and he was arrested in Detroit in September 2024.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Aug. 11, 2024 | Shooting in Old Town parking lot; Keiter Baez Morales fatally wounded; 29-year-old woman injured |
| Sept. 2024 | Tylen Grays arrested in Detroit |
| Sept. 3–4, 2026 | Grays sentenced to 36 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder |
Victim’s family traveled from abroad for court
Prosecutors noted that Baez Morales was an immigrant and that his mother traveled from Colombia to attend court proceedings. The DA’s office said she had attended every hearing over the past two years, either in person or virtually, to seek justice for her son. Chief Deputy District Attorney Amanda Duhon was quoted in the release noting the mother’s repeated attendance and concerns over whether her son would receive justice because of his immigrant status.
“For the last two years, she has attended every single court hearing, either in person or virtually,” the release states. “She travels from Colombia to Fort Collins each time to ensure justice for her son.”
Grays pleaded guilty in 8th Judicial District Court to second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, both Class 2 felonies, the release said. The 36-year sentence was imposed Thursday.
- Sentence: 36 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections
- Charges: second-degree murder; attempted first-degree murder (Class 2 felonies)
- Victim: Keiter Baez Morales, 31 (deceased); one injured, 29-year-old woman (recovered)
The case underscores ongoing concerns in Fort Collins about public safety in busy commercial areas such as Old Town. The DA’s office framed the conviction and sentencing as an example of prosecutors and law enforcement overcoming legal obstacles to seek accountability on behalf of the victim and his family.
Fort Collins Police Services and the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office provided the details in their public statements. No further court documents or remarks from defense counsel were included in the DA’s release.
Community members seeking more information about the case may contact the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office or Fort Collins Police Services for records and statements released in connection with the investigation and prosecution.
