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Sonny Almanza was convicted last week of killing Dillon Vakoff in September 2022.
GOLDEN, Colo. — The man who was convicted of the murder of Arvada Police Officer Dillon Vakoff is scheduled to be sentenced in a Jefferson County courtroom on Thursday.
A jury found Sonny Almanza, 32, guilty last week of murder and other charges in the Sept. 11, 2022, shooting death of 27-year-old Vakoff.
Vakoff and another officer had responded to a family disturbance on West 51st Avenue near the intersection with Marshall Street in Arvada, where they tried to break up a fight between family members. Investigators said the fight started as a custody dispute between Almanza and the mother of his two children.
During the trial, Almanza took the stand and claimed self-defense. He testified that he fired shots toward Vakoff but that he thought Vakoff was another man, named Jerry Lopez, who was part of the conflict.
Almanza was also accused of shooting a woman in the leg during the same incident.
He was convicted on all counts on Dec. 7 including murder, attempted murder, assault and trespassing.
Sentencing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
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