The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest and charging of a suspect with second-degree murder in connection with an August traffic accident and homicide investigation on Highway 24.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a three-vehicle crash near Highway 24 and Blue Gill Drive on August 26, 2025. At the scene, life-saving measures were attempted on 29-year-old Noel Gutierrez-Cano, but he was pronounced deceased. The El Paso County Coroner later confirmed that Gutierrez-Cano had sustained at least one gunshot wound, shifting the case from a traffic accident to a homicide investigation.
Investigators say tips from Crimestoppers and video evidence from the community linked the incident to a traffic stop made shortly after the crash. During this stop, deputies contacted two adult males but ultimately released them on foot after towing their vehicle for lack of license, registration, and insurance. Body-worn camera footage provided a clear image of one passenger, which later helped detectives identify him as a suspect.
Detectives identified 26-year-old Jose Cruz Diaz Vazquez as a person of interest in the case. He was later arrested in Las Vegas, New Mexico, on September 3, 2025, on an unrelated outstanding warrant. Following coordination between the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, and New Mexico State Police, Diaz Vazquez was interviewed and formally charged with second-degree murder. He is currently being held at the Doña Anna County Jail on a fugitive from justice hold and a $500,000 bond while extradition proceedings to Colorado are pending.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for law enforcement in El Paso County, Colorado, including unincorporated areas where the Highway 24 crash occurred. According to Sheriff Joseph Roybal, its duties include patrol operations, criminal investigations, detention services, and coordination with local and federal agencies in complex cases. Roybal has emphasized that the agency remains committed to accountability and public safety, crediting community tips and interagency cooperation as vital to solving this case.