Rocky Ford officer James Ashby arrested, charged with murder in shooting of 27-year-old man


 PUEBLO, Colo. - Authorities said a Rocky Ford police officer was arrested Friday and charged with second-degree murder in a deadly October shooting.
James Ashby, 41, was arrested without incident at the La Junta Police Department by members of the 16th Judicial District Critical Incident Team, according to prosecutors.
A warrant was issued for Ashby's arrest in connection to the shooting death of Jack Jacquez, 24, on Oct. 12, in Rocky Ford.
The shooting occurred at around 2 a.m. at Jacquez' house on the corner of Third Street and Swink Avenue. His relatives said the officer followed Jacquez into the house, forced open the front door and the two got into an argument inside.
"(Jacquez) was standing next to his mom, his back turned toward the officer and then (the officer) shot him twice in the back and then pepper sprayed him. Then they hand cuffed his fiancée, for reasons I don't know why. And the mom went to call the cops and the cop took her phone and threw it against the wall," said Sara Lindenmuth, Jacquez' sister-in-law.
Ashby was placed on administrative leave after the fatal shooting.
A criminal records check by 7NEWS showed that Jacquez has prior arrests for assault, receiving stolen property, DUI, marijuana possession, driving with a revoked license and being a habitual traffic offender.
In 2005 and 2006, two women in Otero County were granted permanent restraining orders against Jacquez, barring him from ever contacting them. A third woman obtained a temporary protection order against the man, according to court records.
The investigation, which has been conducted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the La Junta Police Department, the Otero County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State Patrol, remains ongoing.
Circumstances surrounding the shooting are detailed in Ashby’s arrest warrant; however, the document has been sealed by a judge and prosecutors said specifics cannot be released at this time.
Ashby is being held on $1 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 19.