A Blue River man facing a charge of first degree murder appeared in court Thursday, July 10, for a hearing to set bond, review the charges against him and explain his legal rights. 

Daniel J. DeVito, 46, is accused of killing Jordan Elizabeth Labarre, 32, of Breckenridge, on Monday, July 7, at his residence on the 100 block of Aspen Meadow Drive in Blue River, according to a Colorado Bureau of Investigation news release. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated that officers were called to the scene around 6:20 p.m. for a report of “shots fired” and heard additional gunfire from inside the home when they arrived on scene.

Judge Reed Owens heard arguments from District Attorney Heidi McCollum about setting DeVito’s bond. McCollum said a first degree murder charge would allow the court to hold DeVito without bond, but doing so would affect the timeline of a trial.

McCollum said the prosecution might not be able to have all its evidence prepared by the time trial would be required if the court held DeVito without bond, so she said the prosecution requested bond to be set at $2.5 million.

DeVito has another active court case, for which there was a hearing on Wednesday, July 9, that McCollum said involved “violent” and “coercive” control of a woman other than Labarre at the same residence where Labarre was found dead on July 7. She claimed DeVito told the woman he would “blow her head off” in an argument on July 3.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, July 8, stated that DeVito was originally being held at the Summit County Detention Facility on multiple preliminary charges unrelated to the homicide, including assault in the first degree, menacing – deadly weapon, false imprisonment, criminal mischief and domestic violence. 

McCollum said DeVito’s cases represent a “crime spree,” and the prosecution had serious public safety concerns about him being released on bond.

Labarre’s sister spoke during the hearing to ask the court to set the bond as high as possible. She said holding DeVito without bond would be preferable, but the family understands the limitations it would bring. She reiterated the belief that DeVito poses a flight risk and a public danger should he be released on bail. She closed her comment by saying her sister was robbed of her life and asking the court to not let her be robbed of an opportunity for justice.

McCollum said DeVito filed a waiver of extradition for his first case while being aware of the investigation into the second. The waiver states he would not fight extradition back to Colorado if he were to leave the state while on bail, and McCollum argued that the filing showed DeVito’s intent to flee Colorado if he were to be released on bail.

Kevin Jensen, a public defender who represented DeVito at the hearing, said the defense would like to reserve its bond arguments. 

Owens set DeVito’s cash bond at $2.5 million and included several conditions the prosecution requested. 

The conditions would come into effect if DeVito posted bond, and they included requirements to wear a GPS monitor, not leave the state of Colorado, turn over his passport to the court, turn over all weapons, submit to random drug and alcohol tests and respect a general protection order that prevents him from contacting potential witnesses, victims or their family members.

McCollum said the alleged victim in DeVito’s first case has claimed he owns multiple firearms and has a large gun case in his residence.

DeVito is scheduled to appear in court for both of his active cases again in late July. The formal charges for first degree murder charges have not yet been filed, but for those charges, he could face up to life in prison without parole.