Centennial Citizen 053113

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Citizen Centennial 5-31-13

Centennial

Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 28

May 31, 2013

A Colorado Community Media Publication

ourcentennialnews.com

Details emerge in slaying of woman Suspect reportedly apologized to family for killing his mother By Deborah Grigsby

dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com

Graduates toss mortarboards into the air during Arapahoe High School’s 48th annual commencement exercises held May 23 at Littleton Public Schools Stadium.

CLASS OF

2013

Photos by Deborah GriGsby

Area high schools held their commencement ceremonies last week, as thousands of young men and women took a big step in their lives. Here, we give you glimpses of the graduation events. Find more photos inside on pages 4 and 5.

Cherry Creek High School senior Tristan Bailey Scroggins performs “The Grand Sugar Medley,” on the mandolin. Scroggins arranged the piece for the school’s 58th annual commencement exercises May 22 at Stutler Bowl.

David Wayne Kuroki killed his 81-year old mother and then called family members to apologize, according to allegations in court documents. Affidavits say Kuroki, 53, called not only his brother, Gary Kuroki, but also a cousin Dean Iwasaki, to admit he killed his mother and express his regret. Kuroki was taken into custody April 2, hours after deputies were called to the 8600 block of Dry Creek Road to conduct a welfare check on an elderly resident of the Saddle Ridge condominium complex. When Arapahoe County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found the body of a woman under a blanket with a bloodstained pillow over her face. The woman was identified as Mae Kuroki of Centennial, David’s mother. An investigator from the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office reported several stab wounds to the center of the torso, a possible skull fracture to the back of the head and a circular wound above the right eye. When the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for medical service near a golf course south of C-470, they found suspect David Kuroki in his car with multiple cut wounds. Statements from responding DCSO Kuroki continues on Page 7

Fallen heroes remembered at Fort Logan Visitors mark holiday with public or private ceremonies By Tom Munds

tmunds@ourcoloradonews. com The Memorial Day event at Fort Logan National Cemetery followed a traditional agenda, but many at the cemetery that day observed their private ceremony honoring those military members who gave their lives in service to our country. “The speeches and things are fine, but I usually do get over by there for the 21-gun salute and playing of ‘Taps’ because they have meaning for me,” Sean Savage said on May 27. “I rode my motorcycle up from Raton, N.M., to pay tribute to two guys from my unit in Desert Storm. That is important, so I don’t care about the speeches and ceremonies,

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but I feel they are firing the salute and playing `Taps’ again for my friends.” Not far away, Sharon Mecham and her son Adam Chartier placed flowers near a headstone. “This is the grave of Adam’s grandfather who is a World War II veteran,” Sharon said. “We come out to Fort Logan when we can but we always come on Memorial Day because we want to remember all those people who fought and died for our country.” Adam agreed. “This is a very special day for us,” he said. “We want to pay tribute to my grandfather and, at the same time, pay tribute to all those people who lost their lives fighting for our country.” The traditional Memorial Day ceremonies drew a crowd of about 2,500 that included retired Air Force Master Sgt. Christian Poeppel and his dad Al, a Korean War veteran. “I think each of us has attended a Memorial Day ceremony but this is the first time we have come together,” Christian said. “We came to honor those who sacrificed their lives in service of our country and being here together makes a special day even more special for us.”

Mother Nature provided a very warm, almost cloudless day for the ceremonies. There were the speeches, members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars auxiliaries placed flowers at the symbolic headstone, and a group of dignitaries and a group of Gold Star Wives each placed a wreath there. There was the firing of the 21-gun salute by an All Veterans Honor Guard, made up of members of Verle Huffman VFW Post 9644 in Sheridan, and the playing of “Taps.” There were quite a few families with their children at the ceremonies. Also, there was a group of about 20 boys and girls in the uniform of the Mountain View Young Marines who volunteered to hand out programs. Young Marine Lance Cpl. Xander Tamblyn, 9, said he liked being part of the organization. “We are like a family and I like to take part in team activities to help people because I go home with the feeling I have done something good to help others,” the boy said. “We are here today to help and also to honor those who died for our country. That makes it a special day for everyone and a special day for me.”

Lance Cpl. Xander Tamblyn of the Mountain View Young Marines hands out programs at the Memorial Day ceremonies at Fort Logan National Cemetery. About 2,500 attended the event. Photo by Tom Munds


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