Boulder murder trial pushed back to July

Mitchell Byars, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo.
·2 min read

Jan. 19—The man accused of stabbing his roommate to death in Boulder had his trial pushed back to July.

Robert Hicks, 31, is charged with first-degree murder after deliberation in the death of Curtis Stringe, 34, of Boulder. Hicks is also facing one misdemeanor count of third-degree assault.

Hicks pleaded not guilty in August and was set for a two-week trial starting Jan. 24, but Boulder County has suspended jury trials until at least February because of the rising COVID-19 numbers in the county.

Boulder District Judge Norma Sierra on Tuesday declared a mistrial and scheduled Hicks for a new ten-day trial starting July 11.

Hicks, who appeared virtually from the Boulder County Jail, agreed to the new trial date and also agreed to waive his speedy trial rights until Aug. 22 in case of any further delays in the case.

Hicks will remain in custody without bond until the trial.

First-degree murder carries a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole.

According to an affidavit, Hicks called police to the 900 block of East Moorehead Circle at 8:55 p.m. Feb. 14 and said Stringe was not breathing and was bleeding from the stomach.

When officers arrived on scene, they found Stringe unconscious and face down in a bedroom with stab wounds to his stomach and leg. He was transported to Boulder Community Health's Foothills Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Doctors said Stringe had nine stab wounds in his abdomen and one in his thigh, according to the affidavit.

Police earlier in the day had responded to the same address after Hicks and Stringe were seen fighting. Police said Stringe had a fresh black eye that was swollen shut and dry blood around his nose, mouth, and head, while Hicks had superficial wounds on his knuckles. Both men declined to speak to police at the time.

According to the affidavit, a witness told police the men were roommates and may have been fighting over rent money.

When police took Hicks into custody, officers noted he was covered in blood. He declined to talk to police after he was taken into custody. But according to the affidavit, body camera footage of the initial response recorded Hicks saying, "I should have known not to (expletive) call 911," and "He fell onto something sharp."

Hicks said he was "nonviolent" and said that he and Stringe had a good night together, but then later stated that they had gone to the bar together and Stringe had "punched the (expletive) out of me."

Hicks then made a claim that maybe Stringe did something to himself, according to the affidavit.