The father of a 14-year-old boy accused of killing a Denver bar bouncer in July was arrested Friday and accused of taking his son to Wyoming to hide out after the killing, police records show.
Steven Marquez, 46, was being held for investigation on charges of aiding and abetting a crime and attempting to influence a public servant, according to online Denver County Court records.
Denver police allege he helped his son avoid arrest and lied to investigators after the deadly July 10 shooting at the Federales Denver bar at 29th and Larimer streets in the River North Arts District, according to an affidavit filed against him.
Marquez’s son, whom JS is not naming because he is a juvenile, is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 49-year-old William “Todd” Kidd, a bouncer at the bar.
Kidd was intervening in a disturbance when he was shot, police said. He died two days later, on July 12.
Marquez’s son, who turned 15 on Monday, was arrested on July 16 in Casper, Wyoming. According to the affidavit, he had shaved his head “in an apparent attempt to disguise himself.”
Marquez’s phone records show he drove to Wyoming on July 14 and spent about an hour near Casper before returning to Denver, according to the nine-page affidavit, which police have heavily redacted. A relative of Marquez lives in the area, police said.
Marquez told police his son would turn himself in, but only after the boy spoke to reporters because there was a video of the killing that “the world needs to see,” according to the affidavit. Neither he nor his son showed up at an arranged meeting with police to report his son on July 13, the affidavit said.
Marquez told The Post on Wednesday that he had seen video showing his son acted in self-defense during the shooting. He believes the charges against him are an attempt by police to get revenge for that video, and said he planned to help his son turn himself in after the murder. He could not immediately provide the video to The Post.
“The only thing I’m guilty of, if they want to say I’m guilty of anything, is being a father,” Marquez said. “I don’t know what’s going on. But my intention was to report my son.”
Marquez was arrested Friday and released Sunday on $2,000 bail, court records show. The two charges he was arrested for are low-level felonies. He is scheduled to appear in court on October 14. His son will appear in court on October 15.
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