Weld County man convicted of second-degree murder in 2013 shooting near Pierce – Greeley Tribune

A Weld County man faces nearly half a century in prison for shooting another man in a home northwest of Pierce in February 2023.

After a six-day trial last week, a jury convicted 20-year-old Benjamin Mitich of first-degree murder for the Feb. 4, 2023, killing of 21-year-old Jonathon Hayes, according to a news release from the Weld County District Attorney's Office. He faces 16 to 48 years in prison before a sentencing hearing at 9 a.m. Dec. 6 in Weld District Court.

That February night, Weld County Sheriff's Office officers responded to a home in the 12000 block of Weld County Road 94. When they arrived, they found Hayes with a gunshot wound to the head. He was flown to a hospital in Greeley, where he was later pronounced dead, according to police.

Several witnesses at the scene said they saw Mitich waving the gun around before he heard the shot, according to an arrest affidavit. One witness said she saw Mitich jokingly point the gun at Hayes when the shots went off, police said.

According to police, Mitich initially denied involvement, but later admitted to police that he was holding the gun when it went off. Officers later found that the group had passed around a bottle of whiskey before the shooting, and police say Mitich's breath smelled of alcohol.

Mitich originally faced several other charges, including several counts of prohibited use of weapons and consumption of alcohol while underage, according to Colorado court records. Those charges were later dropped.

Assistant District Attorneys Lacy Wells and Daniel Skelton prosecuted the case, the press release said.