“I Wasn’t Involved”: The Chilling Interrogation of Devon Howard After the Murder of Andrew Jich

On a cold evening in Colorado, 27-year-old Andrew Jich was gunned down in a brutal, senseless act of violence. The shooting, captured by multiple security cameras, led to the swift identification and eventual arrest of four young suspects. Among them was 20-year-old Devon Howard Lopez, now sitting under the harsh fluorescent lights of an interrogation room, trying to convince detectives that he had nothing to do with the murder.

From the outset, the scene was disturbing. Surveillance footage showed a man exiting a silver two-door Pontiac, later identified as belonging to 19-year-old Alicia Valdez. The suspect fired several shots at Andrew, then coldly climbed back into the vehicle. In a haunting final act, the car ran over Andrew’s body as it sped away. Just hours later, the same car would be spotted at a gas station where its occupants laughed, snacked, and appeared utterly unfazed by the events that had unfolded earlier that night.

Police quickly traced the vehicle and arrested its occupants: Alicia Valdez, Caleb Vigil, Devon Howard Lopez, and another unnamed suspect. What followed were a series of interrogations that exposed a web of lies, contradictions, and a disturbing lack of remorse.

Witnesses Step Forward

Before police could apprehend the suspects, two key witnesses emerged: Alexis Ellis and her friend Alyssa. The pair were parked near the scene when they heard gunfire. Alexis ran to Andrew’s side, desperately trying to perform CPR while Alyssa dialed 911.

“He’s got bullets in the chest and we’re flipping him over because he’s not breathing,” Alyssa told the dispatcher. Despite their efforts, Andrew died within minutes.

Detectives were immediately struck by Alexis’ calm and open demeanor during her initial interview. Her body language, cooperative tone, and willingness to recount the trauma in detail suggested she had nothing to hide. However, a troubling detail emerged: three years earlier, Alexis had been charged as an accessory to murder in a separate case. Her boyfriend at the time had shot someone from her vehicle. Though she maintained her innocence, the coincidence was impossible for detectives to ignore.

Still, Alexis’ account helped build the foundation of the case. She described the shooter as a “little Mexican dude” and noted that he exited the passenger side of the silver Pontiac before fleeing. Her detailed account of the suspects’ actions and the car’s make and model provided investigators with enough cause to issue arrest warrants.

The Arrest

At around 4 a.m., an officer spotted a silver Pontiac driving erratically. Inside were Alicia Valdez, Caleb Vigil, and Devon Howard. During the stop, Caleb claimed there were no firearms in the vehicle. Moments later, officers found a loaded 9mm pistol tucked between the seats and a pocket full of bullets on Caleb. He was immediately placed under arrest.

What was perhaps most chilling, though, was Alicia Valdez’s attitude. As officers cuffed her, she appeared almost cheerful—detached from the reality of what was happening. It seemed she had yet to piece together the gravity of the crime they were being connected to.

The Interrogation Begins

Police separated the suspects and began the interrogation process. Their strategy was simple: create a calm, welcoming environment to encourage the suspects to talk, then confront them with mounting evidence. Alicia was brought into a well-lit room with a digital clock, a TV monitor, and a bottle of water. This was no accident—creating a non-threatening environment can lower a suspect’s guard.

Initially, Alicia seemed relaxed. She admitted to living in her car and occasionally staying with Caleb. She confirmed that she owned the vehicle and that only she had the keys. When asked if she had given the keys to anyone else, she hesitated.

That hesitation was a red flag.

If only Alicia had access to the car—and her vehicle was the one seen in the security footage—then she had to know who was inside it that night. Detectives began to subtly tighten their grip, poking holes in her narrative while keeping the tone conversational.

Devon’s Denial

Devon Howard’s interrogation painted a similar picture. Sitting beside the other suspects before their individual questioning, Devon initially claimed to be tired—detached and unconcerned about the charges he was facing. When asked if he was involved in a murder, he casually replied, “Oh, the time is right.”

It became clear early on that Devon, like the others, wasn’t taking the situation seriously. He didn’t know—or was pretending not to know—that the entire murder had been captured on camera. The footage clearly showed someone exiting Alicia’s vehicle, confronting Andrew, and pulling the trigger.

Despite the evidence, Devon—along with the rest—would continue to deny involvement. None of them seemed willing to take responsibility. Instead, they each spun falsehoods, hoping to deflect blame or confuse investigators.

But police had more than just camera footage. They had the murder weapon, witness testimony, and proof that the suspects returned to normal activities immediately after the killing. The image of these young adults laughing in a gas station just hours after taking someone’s life stood in stark contrast to the horror experienced by Andrew’s loved ones.

A Chilling Lack of Remorse

Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of the case is the emotional disconnect displayed by the suspects. There were no visible signs of guilt or grief—no attempts to explain, only to evade. For detectives, the case became less about uncovering the truth, and more about exposing the layers of lies that each suspect desperately clung to.

Through strategic interrogation techniques—ranging from friendly rapport-building to quiet confrontation—police were able to extract inconsistencies from each suspect’s story. One by one, the pieces began to fit together.

Justice for Andrew

While the investigation is ongoing and the legal proceedings continue, what’s clear is this: Andrew Jich’s death was not a tragic accident—it was a calculated act, carried out in cold blood. And those responsible, whether by pulling the trigger or enabling the crime, are now facing the weight of justice.

In the end, the security footage, the 911 calls, and the forensic evidence tell a story more powerful than any alibi. A story of a young man’s life stolen, and of four suspects who thought they could lie their way out of it. But the truth, as always, has a way of coming to light.

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