Two suspects appeared in court Thursday after the death of a man at Veterans Park, which Cortez police are investigating as a homicide.
Officers responded to a welfare check at the park around 8 p.m. Wednesday after receiving reports of an unresponsive male. The man was found with “obvious blunt force trauma” and pronounced dead at the scene despite lifesaving efforts, according to the Cortez Police Department. His identity has not been released.
Two other men, identified in court as Bilbert Tsosie and Anthony Hill, were found nearby with similar injuries and taken to Southwest Memorial Hospital. Assistant District Attorney Justin Pierce told the court Thursday that one of them might not survive.
Police arrested Robert Salt and Nykhona Holiday at the scene on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree assault. Both appeared via Webex in the U.S. 22nd Judicial District Court before Judge William Furse.
The Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation are assisting in the investigation.
During the hearing, Salt’s temporary attorney, Ryan Day, waived advisement and requested to address bail after a request was made for Salt to go first to allow Holiday’s mother time to arrive.
Sammy Antez Jr., the deceased victim’s brother, addressed the court before arguments began.
“As a little brother, we don’t want this guy to get out and hurt another’s loved one,” Antez said. “We don’t have words for what happened.”
Pierce requested a $3 million cash-only bond, citing the alleged violence and “extreme indifference” shown by Salt. He said Holiday was found with blood on her pants and shoes, and Salt was discovered “covered in blood” and passed out, apparently because of intoxication.
Holiday allegedly told police that Salt repeatedly kicked the men in the head and told her to “prove she was with him” by kicking them as well. Pierce said the suspects “lacked remorse to such a degree” that they shoplifted alcohol from City Market after the alleged attacks and continued drinking.
Pierce also noted Salt had been arrested four times in the past 30 days, with prior convictions including DUI, vehicle theft, child abuse, domestic violence and assault. Salt is on parole for a felony menacing conviction from 2021.
Day argued that Salt is presumed innocent and said there was insufficient proof to justify a $3 million bond. He cited statistics indicating that pretrial detention can lead to worse outcomes for defendants.
“What we are dealing with is allegations,” Day said. “The court must set a reasonable bond.”
Furse described the alleged crimes as “egregious and violent” and imposed conditions including no contact with the victims or their families, no visits to Veterans Park, and no possession of weapons, drugs, marijuana or alcohol. Citing Salt’s history of failing to appear in court, Furse set bond at $3 million cash only. Salt is scheduled to appear for filing of charges on Friday, Sept. 5, at 11 a.m.
Holiday, 20, appeared next. Her attorney, Stephen Singer, waived advisement. Pierce reiterated the severity of the assault and requested a $1 million cash surety bond with the same conditions imposed on Salt.
Singer said Holiday made “more direct admissions” to police and cooperated fully. He argued there was no probable cause for the charges, saying Holiday told him she was “threatened” and “coerced” into participating. He said Salt had previously threatened her life and forced her to switch shoes during the assaults.
Singer added that Holiday was not a flight risk.
Furse acknowledged Holiday’s less extensive criminal history but said her recent activity had become “alarmingly escalatory,” citing DUI and assault-type cases. He imposed the same bond conditions as Salt and set Holiday’s bond at $1 million cash surety.
Her filing of charges is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 5, at 11:30 a.m.
