Jury Begins Deliberations in Maggos Murder Trial
CHEYENNE — “Fear was at the heart of a tense courtroom drama Thursday,” as attorneys for Adrian Maggos and the state clashed over who had the most to lose during a predawn confrontation that ended with Maggos shooting Matthew Kerlee in the chest. The eight-man, four-woman jury, hearing the case for attempted second-degree murder, spent seven hours deliberating on the trial’s third day before adjourning at 5 p.m. They will resume their work at 9 a.m. Friday under the direction of First Judicial District Judge Nathaniel Hibben.
Clashing Accounts of the Early Morning Incident
The central conflict revolves around the events of April 30 at 3523 Central Avenue. Defense attorney Stacy Kirven painted a picture of her client acting in self-defense, claiming Maggos was attacked by Kerlee, who arrived uninvited in the early morning hours with Maggos’ ex-girlfriend, Parres Mondragon. According to Kirven, Kerlee was the aggressor, throwing the first punch at Maggos.
Laramie County Assistant District Attorney Steven McManamen presented a starkly different narrative. He told the jury that Kerlee was merely dropping off Mondragon, the sister of a friend, when the former couple began arguing. McManamen described Maggos throwing Mondragon hard against his car and threatening further harm, which prompted Kerlee to exit the vehicle and swing at the defendant. Kerlee’s punch missed, and he testified Tuesday that he blacked out. However, witnesses told Cheyenne police the fight continued, with Mondragon later reporting that Kerlee was not winning the physical altercation.
Witnesses Describe Shooting Sequence
The situation escalated dramatically when a gunshot rang out, sending witnesses scrambling. Mondragon ran across the street and hid in a window well. Twenty seconds later, a second shot struck Kerlee in the chest, causing him to fall to his knees. The sounds of the shooting were captured on doorbell cameras and played for the jury.
The violence didn’t cease with the shooting. Kerlee testified that Maggos then pistol-whipped him while he was on his knees, striking him over the right eye and on the crown of his head. After making a few taunts, Maggos left the scene. He allegedly told friends later that he had “secured” the weapon, which has never been recovered.
A nearby resident heard the shots and came outside to find Kerlee bleeding from his chest and lying on the sidewalk. She called 911 and applied pressure to his chest wound until three police officers arrived minutes later.
Dueling Theories of Fear and Intent
The day’s arguments hinged on the concept of reasonable fear and intent. Kirven asserted that Maggos had a legitimate reason to fear for his life. She pointed to a threatening text message Mondragon sent Maggos on April 19, in which she claimed Kerlee was coming over to “beat your ass.” On the night of the shooting, Kirven said Mondragon sent another threat, warning she would break Maggos’ windows if he didn’t meet them outside.
McManamen dismissed the defense’s “fear for his life” theory as illogical. He acknowledged Kerlee threw the first punch but noted it missed. As the fight progressed, witnesses said Kerlee was losing. The prosecutor questioned why Maggos would feel so threatened by a man he was overpowering that he would resort to shooting, only to inflict further harm by pistol-whipping Kerlee twice in the head.
The defense also focused on Kerlee’s state. Kirven emphasized that Kerlee tested positive at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center for methamphetamine, fentanyl, THC, and alcohol, arguing he was “out of control” and a danger to everyone, especially Maggos. She asked why police did not investigate two different brands of 9 mm cartridge casings found at the scene further or test them for DNA. A 9 mm gun provided by Maggos’ brother was tested and ruled out as the weapon used in the shooting.
“They didn’t care about the truth because they already had their minds made up about him being the bad guy here,” Kirven said.
In a key piece of evidence, McManamen countered the threat narrative by revealing that on the night of the shooting, Mondragon had sent Maggos a text containing a “lovey-dovey, heartfelt song”—“Emotionless” by Drake. “That’s not a threatening song,” he pointed out.
Kirven also suggested the possibility of another shooter at the scene. McManamen dismissed this, arguing there was no evidence to support it. He noted that Kerlee identified Maggos as the shooter, and when Maggos surrendered to police about eight hours later, he named Kerlee as the victim.
The Legal Path Forward
After the state rested its case Wednesday afternoon, Kirven moved for an acquittal, arguing there was insufficient evidence that Maggos “maliciously and purposefully” intended to kill Kerlee. Judge Hibben denied the motion, and the defense rested without calling any witnesses.
The jury now has two primary verdict options to consider: guilty of attempted second-degree murder or the lesser-included offense of attempted voluntary manslaughter. A conviction for the former carries a potential sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
Deliberations are set to continue Friday morning, where the jury will weigh the conflicting accounts of who was in danger and who was the aggressor in the early hours of April 30.
