Man Accused Of Strangling A Woman To Death In Arvada

ARVADA, CO — A man is accused of murdering a 38-year-old woman, who was found dead June 19 in Arvada. The Arvada Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for the man, who was being held in the Garfield County Jail on unrelated charges.

Christopher Moffat, 36, has been charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased body and tampering with evidence, the First Judicial District Attorney's office said Monday.

Veronica Sarinana was found dead June 19 in the 6400 block of Welch Court, police said. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office determined she was strangled to death.

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Moffat and Sarinana had previously been in a relationship, according to an arrest affidavit.

Sarinana's mother said Moffat had a violent history and assaulted her daughter while they were in a relationship. Sarinana began to grow intimate with Moffat's brother before she was killed, the affidavit shows. Moffat then tried to frame his brother for her death, according to the court document.

Moffat is scheduled to appear in the Jefferson County District Court on Aug. 6.