The man accused of the 2018 killing of a Longmont woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Boulder District Court and now faces a lengthy trial next year.
Jose Figueroa Jr., through his lawyers, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder after deliberation, felony murder and second-degree kidnapping. The charges are related to the death of Rita Gutierrez-Garcia.
Figueroa Jr. was indicted in June for Gutierrez-Garcia’s murder. During an arraignment hearing Wednesday morning, District Judge Thomas Mulvahill set an April 11, 2022 trial date for Figueroa Jr.
Figueroa’s lawyers and prosecutors asked Mulvahill to set aside three weeks for the trial. Mulvahill said during the hearing that he would push to finish the trial sooner. Three weeks, he said, “seems exceedingly long.”
Prosecutor Katharina Booth said, however, three weeks was needed since there are “complex issues in this case.” She declined to go into further detail.
A motions hearing was also set by Mulvahill for Feb. 8, 2022.
Figueroa is now serving a 93 years-to-life sentence for a separate sexual assault case at the Buena Vista Correctional Facility.
Figueroa was deemed the main suspect in the disappearance of Gutierrez-Garcia who, more than three years ago, left 3’s Bar in Longmont in the early morning hours after celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with family and friends.
Witnesses said Gutierrez-Garcia interacted with Figueroa inside the bar around 1:30 a.m. An hour later, her cousin saw Gutierrez-Garcia in a parking lot behind the bar, the last time she was seen. Witnesses placed Figueroa in the same area at the same time, according to court documents. Gutierrez-Garcia is presumed dead.
During the investigation, police discovered that Gutierrez-Garcia’s phone followed the same path as Figueroa’s truck, which was caught on camera in at least two different Longmont locations.
Figueroa became the suspect of interest in the case, however, when police asked to talk to him, they learned he had fled to Mexico. A few weeks later, he attempted to cross back into the U.S. when he was arrested at the border for a warrant issued for the sexual assault of another victim, also a Longmont resident.
For that crime, Figueroa is currently serving the 93 year-to-life sentence.
