In the Prowers County District Court in Lamar, James Lunsford made an appearance in custody on Wednesday, September 6, for a pre-trial hearing. Both James and his brother, Jesse Lunsford, are facing charges related to the first-degree murder of Anthony Contreras from Holly. The hearing was continued to the October docket allowing the defense additional time to review a motion filed by the District Attorney’s Office requesting a joint trial for the Lunsford brothers.
The Lunsford siblings were apprehended on May 31 following the discovery of Anthony Contreras’s lifeless body with gunshot wounds at 734 W. Colorado St. in Holly.
According to details contained in the arrest affidavit from the Prowers County District Court, upon the arrival of deputies at the crime scene, Jesse voluntarily admitted to shooting Contreras. He claimed to have taken this action because he believed Contreras had threatened his mother with a knife.
The arrest affidavit further alleges that witnesses at the scene reported hearing multiple gunshots and observed Jesse Lunsford firing additional shots at Contreras, even after Contreras was already wounded and lying on the ground. The affidavit states that deputies recovered a total of six casings at the scene.
Earlier on the same day, law enforcement had been summoned to the Lunsford residence due to a disturbance involving the Lunsford brothers and Contreras. The Lunsford’s informed the police that Contreras had been making threats against them.
A witness, as mentioned in the arrest affidavit, claimed to have seen the Lunsford brothers forcing Contreras to kneel and threatening him with either a firearm or a knife at his throat.
Despite the earlier incident and alleged threats, Contreras declined to press charges or provide deputies with details regarding what had transpired.
The Kiowa County Independent will maintain its coverage of this case reporting any updates or new information as they become available.
