Sheriff's Department Photo Robert Pastore 06/02/06

A possible homicide trail that may have begun in the Denver Metro area, ended at Park County's Bailey substation Friday afternoon. At approximately 3:30 p.m. on June 2, a man drove a white van into the parking lot at the Sheriff's substation on US 285. The man, later identified as Robert Pastore of Denver, reported that he was suicidal and asked to speak to a deputy. He appeared to have dried blood on his arms and wrist.

According to a news release from the Park County Sheriff's office, Pastore told Deputy DeBerry that he was suicidal because he killed someone. He also said that the body was still in his vehicle. Pastore was taken into custody and deputies did discover a body in the van.

Preliminary information indicated that the possible homicide may have occurred in the Denver Metro area, according to Undersheriff Monte Gore. Park County Sheriff's investigators are coordinating the ongoing collaborative investigation with Denver authorities and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

The body was removed from the van and transported for autopsy, which was scheduled for the morning of Saturday, June 03. Identification of the deceased has been withheld pending notification of the family, according to Park County Coroner Sharon Morris.

Upon determination that the case would remain in Park County's jurisdiction, Bailey Towing was called to the scene to move the suspect's van to a Platte Canyon Fire Station. The van and its contents were then processed Friday night for forensic evidence by the Park County Coroner, Park County Detectives, and CBI investigators.

Update at 6:00 p.m. June 3, 2006

New information released from the Park County Sheriff's office indicates that 31-year-old Robert Pastore confessed Friday to having strangled the male victim in his van five days earlier, on Sunday, May 28. Investigators have reported that, according to the suspect, the incident occurred in Denver in the vicinity of I-70 and Quebec and might possibly have been drug-related. Undersheriff Gore says that it appears from Pastore's statements that he then drove west on I-70 and entered the Guanella Pass camping area from the north side. After camping out there all week and contemplating suicide, he left the campground and drove down into Bailey where he turned himself in at the substation on Friday, June 2.

The blood on Pastore's arms appeared to be his own. He was treated for one deep cut and other superficial cuts to his wrist. Pastore is currently being held in the Park County Jail on charges of first degree assault and first degree murder.

Park County Investigator Sergeant Sven Bonnelycke will head up the investigation and the case will be prosecuted in Park County.

Update at 9:45 p.m. June 3, 2006

According to Park County Coroner Sharon Morris, the autopsy of the victim was completed on Saturday and indicates that cause of death is consistent with strangulation. Toxicology results will not be available for a few days.

Update on June 7, 2006

The victim in this case is identified as Arthur Raymond Twiggs, age 22. Formal charges will be filed on June 15, 2006.

Update on June 13, 2006

A formal charge of First Degree Murder was filed against Pastore in court on Monday afternoon, June 12. A court date of July 17 at 1:15 p.m. is set for bond hearing. A subsequent date for preliminary hearing will also be set at that time.