Slain woman recalled as 'outgoing, friendly'

Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News

Saturday, October 7, 2006

Amanda Jean Duran lived with multiple sclerosis, but she didn't let the disease impair her love of life and music, friends said Friday.

Now they are trying to honor the 22-year-old aspiring rap artist, who police say was killed this week by an ex-boyfriend.

They have established a fund called Amanda's Voice, which will forward 40 percent of all donations to multiple sclerosis organizations. The other 60 percent will go to Duran's family.

Contributions are being accepted at any US Bank location, said Leigh Mezo, a friend and former co-worker of Duran's.

Mezo, 49, met Duran three months ago. They worked together at a Denny's restaurant.

Mezo described Duran as a beautiful person, inside and out. She said that Duran was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 17.

"She was fighting every day to stay ahead of the game and stay alive," Mezo said.

Duran embraced life and was in the process of establishing her own record label, Mezo said.

"She just had such a wonderful outlook on life," Mezo said. "Life was hers, and she was going to live it."

Edgewater police say that Duran's ex-boyfriend, Gilberto Cruz, shot her in the head with a sawed-off shotgun Wednesday night as she pleaded for help at a neighbor's front door.

Cruz, 26, of Lakewood, surrendered to police Thursday. Edgewater police detective Brad Maerz said Cruz went by the alias Eduardo Espinosa-Martinez.

Investigators found Cruz through a text message on Duran's phone from someone named "Eddie," according to an arrest warrant affidavit released Friday.

Another number on the phone belonged to a friend of Duran's, who later told police that he was talking to her on the phone when "Eddie" came over.

The friend said he heard Duran ask Cruz, "Why are you here?" The friend said he heard Cruz reply, "Why can't I come over here?"

Duran then told her friend she would call him back and hung up.

Maerz said that Cruz was upset that Duran had broken off their relationship.

"She wouldn't get back together with him," Maerz said.

Cruz said he put a shell in the gun and pulled the trigger, but the gun didn't fire, according to the affidavit.

He said that Duran struggled with him for the gun, then ran out the front door. Cruz said he loaded the gun a second time but that it didn't fire.

He loaded a third shell and fired as he stood several feet behind Duran, who was at the neighbor's door, police said.

Cruz told police that he had been thinking about killing her for about a week, according to the affidavit.

He appeared in Jefferson County Court on Friday to be advised of his rights. He was being held without bond, pending a court appearance Wednesday, when he will be advised of the first-degree murder charge against him.

Investigators said they believe that Cruz is in the U.S. illegally. If that is confirmed, a Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold will be placed on him, said Pam Russell, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County district attorney's office.

Mezo said that Duran mentioned some problems with Cruz - "normal boyfriend/girlfriend" stuff - but that she never heard Duran say she was afraid of him.

Duran's second cousin, Stephanie Perez, 20, of Centennial, said Friday that she had not seen Duran in a few months, but that the news of her death still came as a shock. She stopped by Duran's house with balloons and flowers the day after the shooting.

"You never think something like this is going to happen to your family until one day you get that call," Perez said. "She was just an amazing person, outgoing, always friendly."

poppenj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5176