March 22nd 2024.
Last month, on February 20th, a statue of the iconic civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was found vandalized in Denver. Naturally, this caused quite a stir and authorities immediately launched a search for the culprits responsible for this despicable act. The news was disheartening and concerning, leaving many wondering who would commit such an act of vandalism.
Fortunately, the investigation took a positive turn when one of the suspects, 47-year-old Robert Duran, turned himself in to the authorities nine days later on February 29th. The media outlet, 9 News, reported this development and it seemed like the case was finally making headway. However, there was still one suspect at large and the search for them continued.
Thankfully, the Denver Police Department announced that the second suspect, 67-year-old Herman Duran, was arrested on March 10th in connection with the vandalism of the statue in City Park. He is currently being held on theft and criminal mischief charges. Police Chief Ron Thomas shared his theory that the perpetrators intended to sell the stolen pieces as scrap metal for monetary gain.
During a news conference on February 28th, Thomas stated, "We will continue our investigation to determine the specific motive behind this crime, but it appears that their main motivation was simply to make some quick cash." It was later reported by The Denver Post that Herman is currently in custody at the Downtown Detention Center on a bail of $5,000. His accomplice, Robert, was also arrested on suspicion of criminal mischief.
The theft itself occurred on February 18th, when the two men stole pieces of the memorial. It was not until three days later, on February 21st, that the theft was reported to the authorities by diligent parks maintenance workers. Upon inspection, it was discovered that a bronze panel, torch, and angel were missing from the memorial.
In addition to the theft at City Park, the Denver Police Department revealed that the suspects were also responsible for stealing bronze pieces from the Joseph Addison Thatcher memorial fountain. These pieces were also sold as scrap metal to a local business. Thankfully, all of the stolen pieces from City Park were returned to Denver Arts & Venues, the company responsible for managing the city's monuments.
Initially, investigators believed that the theft was a hate crime, targeting Dr. King's statue due to its significance as a symbol of equality and justice. However, this theory was later dismissed when it was discovered that the motive behind the crime was purely financial, with the stolen pieces being sold as scrap metal. It was a relief to know that the crime was not driven by hate or discrimination.
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