An Aurora police officer has been charged with second-degree murder and reckless manslaughter for the 2025 shooting of a 37-year-old man [1], [2].
The charges signal a legal determination that the use of deadly force during the encounter was unlawful. This case brings renewed scrutiny to police conduct and the application of lethal force during routine traffic stops in Colorado.
District Attorney Amy Padden said Monday that Officer Matthew Neely, 54, faces charges [1], [3]. The incident occurred Aug. 30, 2025, at the intersection of East Sixth Avenue and Billings Street in Aurora [1], [4].
According to prosecutors, the shooting took place following a traffic stop. The victim, Rajon Belt-Stubblefield, 37, died as a result of the encounter [1], [5]. The District Attorney's office said the force used by Neely was not legally justified, leading to the current indictment [2], [5].
Neely now faces two primary charges: second-degree murder, and reckless manslaughter [2], [3]. These charges follow an investigation into the events of that August afternoon, a process that has spanned nearly a year from the date of the shooting.
Local authorities have not released further details regarding the specific sequence of events leading to the discharge of the weapon. The case remains under the jurisdiction of the District Attorney's office as legal proceedings begin for the 54-year-old officer [1].
“Officer Matthew Neely has been charged with second-degree murder and reckless manslaughter.”
The indictment of a police officer for second-degree murder reflects a high legal threshold for justifying lethal force during traffic stops. By pursuing murder charges rather than lower-level negligence, prosecutors are asserting that the officer's actions went beyond a mistake in judgment and entered the realm of criminal culpability.
