Man Given Life In Prison For Fatally Shooting Woman With High-Powered Rifle As She Walked Dog
38-year-old Michael Close shot a couple while they walked their dog in downtown Denver, Colorado. The woman died, and now, Close has been given a sentence of life in prison.
On Friday, a judge handed Close his punishment for the killing of Isabella Thallas, 21. He was also given 48 years in prison for the attempted murder of Thallas’s boyfriend, Darian Simon.
Close’s life sentence carries no chance of parole, and the sentences are to be served consecutively. He must also pay $37,000 in restitution.
The shooting occured on June 10, 2020, around 11:40 a.m., as the couple walked their dog on Fox Street, close to Coors Field.
Close started to scream from his window over the dog. Surveillance footage in the community revealed Close opening his blinds and handling a high-powered rifle as Simon knelt down to pick up his dog’s feces.
A few minutes later, Close is observed firing 24 shots at the couple, killing Thallas almost immediately.
While investigating Close, authorities found an assault-style firearm, a Glock 17, and a shotgun. They also discovered a great amount of ammunition and high-capacity magazines that can hold over 15 bullets. Those are not legal in Colorado except if they were grandfathered in.
The semi-automatic rifle used in the incident was owned by an ex-Denver police sergeant, who stated that Close had taken the weapon without him knowing.
Close left the location after the shooting, but police found and apprehended him in Pine Junction.
