AURORA, Colorado – A Colorado man already serving a life sentence for murder has been handed another one, this time for killing the only witness to his previous crime. Steven Daniel Young, 48, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2020 death of Charly Lewis, 32. He had been found guilty of first-degree murder in September. According to prosecutors, Young shot Lewis because she had witnessed him kill another man, John Cyprian, six days earlier in Aurora. Young was convicted of Cyprian’s murder in April 2021.
Lewis’ body was discovered on June 7, 2020, and it was revealed that Young had killed her, leaving her in an alley for a cyclist to find and call 911. The Denver District Attorney’s Office presented an affidavit outlining the case, detailing how a 911 call reported the body’s discovery at 5:07 a.m. in an alley behind 1065 N. Federal Blvd.
Police found Lewis’ body, slumped against a fence with a hooded sweatshirt pulled up to her chin and around her head, and a spent .40 caliber shell casing lying on the ground next to her left foot. Video surveillance and gunshot detection reports further implicated Young, who was already a suspect in Cyprian’s murder at the time of Lewis’ death. He was seen on surveillance footage walking with Lewis in the early morning hours and later leaving the alley without her, shortly after the fatal gunshot was heard.
Authorities were quick to link Lewis’ murder to Young, who had an outstanding warrant for Cyprian’s murder. The nature of the crime, along with the evidence amassed, led to his sentencing for Lewis’ murder, adding to his already serving life sentence.
The case serves as a grim reminder of the consequences of violent crimes and the lengths to which perpetrators will go to ensure their deeds remain shrouded in darkness. Young’s pattern of violence has not only ended lives but also brought about the enduring pain and trauma for the loved ones of the victims. It stands as a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement and the justice system to hold criminals accountable for their actions and seek justice for the victims.