A bartender and two customers were slain during a robbery of the Grand View Lounge early Saturday, and the bar then was torched in an apparent effort to cover up the killings. A clerk and her sister were found dead at a neighboring convenience store.

Killed himself when contacted by police at about 2 a.m. the following day at his apartment. Told to surrender, Archibeque replied, "OK," then shot himself once in the head with a .357-caliber revolver.

  

Suspect in 5 Killings Kills Himself in Colorado

The New York Times

May 19, 1986

A suspect sought in the slayings Saturday of five people at a bar and a neighboring convenience store committed suicide today after the police called his home and told him to surrender, officials said.

The suspect, Gilbert Eugenio Archibeque, 29 years old, was named in an arrest warrant alleging five counts of first-degree murder. He was tracked to his apartment after a neighbor recognized him from a photograph taken by a surveillance camera at the store.

Patrolman Ralph Sanchez said that when Mr. Archibeque was told to surrender, he replied, ''O.K.,'' then shot himself in the head with a .357-caliber revolver.

Man sought in slayings in Colorado kills self

The Beacon Journal

May 19, 1986

A 29-year-old man sought in the slayings of five people at a bar and a neighboring convenience store in Colorado Springs, Colo., committed suicide Sunday, after police called his home and told him to surrender, officials said. Gilbert Eugenio Archibeque, named in an arrest warrant alleging five counts of first-degree murder, was tracked to his apartment after a neighbor recognized a photograph taken by a surveillance camera at the store.

A bartender and two customers were slain during a robbery of the Grand View Lounge early Saturday, and the bar then was torched in an apparent effort to cover up the killings, said police. A clerk and her sister were found dead at the store, next door to the bar in a shopping center.

Suspect commits suicide

San Jose Mercury News

May 19, 1986

Police and those who knew him have few clues as to why a man described as a happy-go-lucky guy may have killed five people and then himself.

Authorities said Gilbert Eugenio Archibeque, a 29-year-old plumber, killed himself early Sunday when contacted by police. He was suspected of the robbery-related slayings of five people and the wounding of a sixth.

5 slain in Colo.; Suspect kills self

Philadelphia Daily News

May 19, 1986

A gunman sought in the slayings of five people at a bar and a neighboring convenience store committed suicide early yesterday after police called his home and told him to surrender, officials said.

Patrolman Ralph Sanchez said police called Gilbert Eugenio Archibeque, 29, about 2 a.m. yesterday at his apartment. Told to surrender, Archibeque replied, "OK," then shot himself once in the head with a .357-caliber revolver, Sanchez said.

Man sought in 5 slayings in Colorado kills himself

May 19, 1986

Colorado Springs, Colo. - A 29-year-old man sought in the slayings of five people at a bar and a neighboring convenience store committed suicide yesterday after police called his home and told him to surrender, officials said.

Gilbert Eugenio Archibeque, named in an arrest warrant alleging five counts of first-degree murder, was tracked to his apartment after a neighbor recognized a photograph taken by a surveillance camera at the store.

A bartender and two customers were slain during a robbery of the Grand View Lounge early Saturday, and the bar was then torched in an apparent effort to cover up the killings, police said. A clerk and her sister were found dead at the store, next door to the bar in a shopping center.

Patrolman Ralph Sanchez said he had known the man, who worked at a business behind the police station, for some time.

"I just talked with him a week and a half ago. It was a small-talk conversation. He seemed to be the most happy-go-lucky guy I'd ever seen," Sanchez said.

"I've been here (on the force) 12 1/2 years and seen a lot of homicides, but this one takes the cake. And I knew him. You tend to ask yourself what drives a person to do something like that," Sanchez said.

"He was a cheerful guy and just a heck of a nice guy," said Michael Trapp, Archibeque's employer for three years at Olson Plumbing Co. "It's just totally unbelievable. I guess something just snapped."

Officers who obtained the arrest warrant also got a search warrant for Archibeque's apartment, a block or two from the shopping center. Officer Charles Shiverdecker said police approached his apartment at 2 a.m. but decided to telephone him because it seemed the safest course.

Told to surrender, Sanchez said, Archibeque replied, "OK," then shot himself once in the head with a .357-caliber revolver.

"As far as I know, that's all he said," Shiverdecker said.

Jill Capes, 32, who was in the apartment when Archibeque shot himself, was heard to say, "What are you doing?" moments before the single shot rang out, police said.

She was not expected to be charged, Sanchez said. A gun thought to have been used in the shootings was recovered, the officer said.

Shiverdecker said the five slayings might have been triggered by the gunman's concern that he would be identified.

"One of (the victims) might have known him since he lived in the area," he said.

"I recognized him, too," Shiverdecker said. "He worked at Olson Plumbing behind the police station here. He'd been in here several times working on the building. He looked like just an average sort of guy."