A 51-year-old man faces a sentence of mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted Thursday of first-degree murder for a fatal 2016 stabbing inside a Dollar Store in Adams County.
Jurors convicted Anthony Dennis Grayson after a four-day trial in Adams County District Court. Grayson will be sentenced on July 29.
The case experienced multiple delays due to issues related to the defendant’s competency. Ultimately, he was found competent to proceed and chose to represent himself at trial, according to an Adams County District Office news release.
On September 1, 2016, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a stabbing at the Dollar Store located at 7067 Pecos Street.
Surveillance footage and eyewitness testimony revealed that Grayson confronted the victim, Alejandro Alvear, inside the store, according to the news release. After a brief exchange, Grayson pulled a knife and stabbed Mr. Alvear multiple times. Mr. Alvear was transported to Denver Health Medical Center, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Witnesses, including a store employee, stated that Grayson demanded money back from Mr. Alvear and threatened to stab him if he refused. The incident was captured on a store surveillance video. Grayson was taken into custody at the scene and later charged, the news release states.
“This was a senseless act of violence in a public setting that cost a man his life,” said District Attorney Brian Mason in the news release. “Thanks to the excellent work of law enforcement, eyewitnesses, and our prosecution team, we were able to secure justice for Mr. Alvear and his family.”