Gerald Gurule pleaded guilty Friday afternoon to reckless manslaughter in the 2008 murder of a security guard at the Grizzly Rose.
It came as part of a plea deal that likely helped him avoid a longer sentence like the one his accomplice already received. Gurule, 32, was facing first-degree murder and felony menacing charges and was scheduled to go to trial in August.
Gurule pleaded guilty to reckless manslaughter and attempted first-degree assault, and prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of 20 to 32 years. His sentencing hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 19.
Jennifer Lynne Lewis, 34 — who prosecutors described as Gurule’s girlfriend — was sentenced earlier this year to life in prison after she was convicted of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted trespassing and three counts of attempted murder for the same case.
At her trial, prosecutors described Lewis as the getaway driver the night of the murder and Gurule as the shooter.
The fatal shooting happened Dec. 12, 2008, when Timothy Minnick, a former Brighton police officer who was working as a security guard at the Grizzly Rose, confronted masked thieves in the parking lot of the nightclub.
A police officer who was off-duty at the club and another security guard went with Minnick to confront the alleged thieves. The confrontation became physical when one of the security guards grabbed the arm of one of the thieves. One of the thieves grabbed a gun and started shooting before they ran away.
Minnick was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. No one else was injured.
The case had gone cold but was reopened and in 2013, and a grand jury indicted three people who were arrested and charged.
Another man, Stanley Joe Gurule, was initially charged with two counts of being an accessory, but his charges were dismissed in October. Frankie Diaz, who has not been indicted, was also linked by DNA to a jacket left at the scene.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372, yrobles@denverpost.com or twitter.com/yeseniarobles
