CENTENNIAL — A man accused of fatally shooting a doctor and wounding two women — including his wife — was combative in court Tuesday, at times interrupting the judge and shouting at public defenders assigned to represent him.
Kevin Lee Lyons, who turned 46 on Saturday, is suspected of first-degree murder and is being held at the Arapahoe County jail without bond.
Lyons is accused in a rampage across his Centennial neighborhood on Monday afternoon that centered around his home on the 6100 block of East Long Circle South, neighbors and authorities say.
The spree left two homes across the street peppered with bullet holes and evidence strewn over the span of a block.
Officials say Lyons faces three counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer, two counts of first-degree assault and one count of felony menacing.
Lyons, shackled and clad in red jail clothes, interrupted District Judge Carlos Samour Jr. so many times the judge at one point told him: “We can’t both talk at the same time.”
A visibly frustrated Samour added: “I’m not playing games.”
Lyons contended that the two public defenders he appeared alongside were not his lawyers and said that instead he had hired “John Elway’s” attorney. He asked to be returned to his cell until his private counsel arrived.
“You’re not my representation, bro!” the steel-haired suspect shouted at one of the public defenders. “I don’t even know you!”
A public defender told Samour he had concerns about Lyons’ mental health.
“God’s got this,” Lyons said at one point during the hearing .
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the case, identified the man killed in the rampage as 65-year-old Kenneth R. Atkinson. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The county coroner’s office said Atkinson died of two gunshot wounds — one to his torso and the other to his head.
Atkinson was a married, well-respected doctor who had children and grandchildren, those who knew him said.
“Many times there were patients who couldn’t pay,” said Mari Delapp, who worked for Atkinson. “He would see that person. He would work it out or do it for nothing.”
Neighbors say Atkinson was gunned down as he ran out of his home to help the wounded women. Authorities identified them as Lyons’ wife, 44-year-old Elizabeth L. Lyons, and 46-year-old Laurie H. Juergens.
Authorities said both are expected to fully recover.
Lyons was arrested “safely” by sheriff’s deputies near the scene. Neighborhood residents said he is a married father of three children who worked in construction.
Roxie Pomarico, who lives adjacent to Lyons, said he spoke to the accused gunman moments before the shootings began.
Pomarico said Lyons told him he was painting doors and didn’t appear to be acting out of the ordinary. Then, all of the sudden, a volley of gunshots rang out.
“I just went in a dark room and hid,” Pomarico said.
Bill Krieg said he stuck his head out the front door when the chaos erupted to find Lyons screaming and firing a gun at a home across the street.
“He would fire in a quick succession and then stop for a minute and either reload or head somewhere else,” Krieg said. “Then he would start shooting some more.”
Krieg said Lyons continued firing even after law enforcement arrived.
Investigators were still at the crime scene Tuesday taking pictures and collecting evidence. A motive has not been released.
“That will be some time,” Undersheriff Louie Perea said.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Lyons objected to Samour’s decision to seal arrest documents in the case, saying: “I want this in the press!”
Lyons also said he wanted news cameras to capture his likeness.
“You just made something classified that should be public!” Lyons called out to Samour.
Prosecutors said they plan to file formal charges on Friday after Samour ruled there was probable cause to keep Lyons jailed.
During the hearing, a group of people sat with victims’ advocates from the district attorney’s office and cried at times. Prosecutors declined to speak at length about the case afterward.
“There’s not much I can say,” Assistant District Attorney Mark Hurlbert told reporters.
Neighbors said Lyons is the owner of KLL Construction, a general contracting company.
State records show Lyons failed to appear in an Arapahoe County civil case in 2013. Otherwise, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, he did not have any recorded run-ins with the law in the
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
Staff writer Tom McGhee contributed to this report.