Guilty of murder at Denver club

DENVER — A Denver District Court jury found a man guilty this week of attacking four people with a baseball bat, killing one of them, in the parking lot of a strip club about three years ago.

Ryan Ashland, 44, attacked the victims outside PT's Showclub, 1601 W. Evans Ave., on April 28, 2019. Three of the four victims were taken to a hospital with blunt force injuries to their heads and bodies. One of them, Wendell Janis, died at the hospital.



Ashland was convicted of all charges Wednesday after a three-day trial, according to the Denver District Attorney's Office:

2 counts of first-degree murder
Attempted murder
First-degree assault
2 counts of second-degree assault
Burglary
Felony menacing
2 counts of committing a violent crime (sentence enhancer)


On April 28, 2019, Denver Police Department (DPD) officers arrived at PT's Showclub to find Ashland in the parking lot, armed with a baseball bat, according to the DPD probable cause statement.

He was standing near a "seriously injured victim" lying on the ground. Ashland refused to listen to multiple commands from officers, the PC statement says.

“Due to the suspect being armed with a weapon, his close proximity to the injured victim, and his refusal to comply with police officers, the suspect was subsequently taken into custody by the use of a Taser,” the statement says.

One of the victims, a woman, told police that she pretended to be unconscious until Ashland stopped hitting her and she "heard his footsteps moving away," according to the PC statement.

Another victim, who ran to safety after Ashland struck him in the head with the bat, watched Ashland being taken into custody and then returned to speak with officers and get medical attention, the statement says.

Ashland is scheduled for sentencing on July 1, according to court records.