Lakewood man convicted in roommate’s shooting death

JEFFERSON COUNTY – A Lakewood man who last year called Lakewood police to tell them he shot his roommate could get nearly half a century in prison when he is sentenced in later this summer.

Kalani Opana

A Jefferson County District Court jury late last week returned a guilty verdict against Kalani Opana, 55, convicting him of second-degree murder in the death of Roy Michael “Mike” Canavan during a fight over loud music.

Police responding to Opana’s call found Canavan fatally wounded in the home the victim and Opana shared with Thomas Alcon, who owned the house at 5300 W. Arizona St.

Investigators said the three had been drinking beer and vodka for hours before Opana and Canavan began arguing about the volume of music in the predawn hours of Aug. 4, 2009. A fight erupted between Opana and Canavan and Opana apparently suffered slight injuries during the struggle, according to police.

Alcon told investigators he went to bed about the time of the fight, and, at least initially was vague about the details, prompting a Lakewood Police spokeswoman to describe him at the time as “sort of, but not necessarily” a witness.

After the altercation with Canavan, Opana went downstairs to his bedroom and grabbed a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, then went back upstairs and shot Canavan once in the chest, according to evidence presented by prosecutors from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.

Investigators said Opana awakened Alcon shortly after the shooting and told Alcon “that he’d shot Mike,” according to a DA’s Office spokeswoman.

Opana, called police about 4:15 a.m. to report the shooting, saying he shot the victim during a “dispute,” according to police. Opana waited for officers to arrive at the scene, then surrendered without incident.

He has a long record of minor drug, alcohol and park curfew arrests, mostly in the area from downtown Denver to Cheesman Park.

The jury deliberated one day before returning the unanimous verdict.

Opana could get from 16 to 48 years in prison when he is sentenced the afternoon of July 9.