Man Charged With Murder After Fatal Shooting at Pueblo Days Inn

Pueblo police arrested a 63-year-old man after a shooting at the Days Inn by Wyndham Pueblo that left a 39-year-old man dead, marking the city’s first homicide of 2026. Officers were called to the hotel at 4201 N. Elizabeth Street just after 6:30 p.m. and found a male victim who had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police wrote in a news release, "Tragically, a male individual was pronounced deceased at the scene following an argument that escalated." Investigators say the shooting followed an argument that escalated into gunfire. Detectives have interviewed witnesses and are continuing a criminal investigation into what led to the confrontation.

Authorities identified the suspect as James McKenney, 63. McKenney was taken into custody in connection with the shooting and was booked into the Pueblo County jail. He was being held without bond as of Feb. 9, and his first appearance in Pueblo District Court is scheduled for Feb. 23. Police have not released additional details about the arrest location or the weapon involved.

The Pueblo County Coroner’s Office later identified the victim as Joshua Charles Herbert, 39. Officials say Herbert’s exact cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy. Investigators initially withheld the victim’s name until next of kin could be notified; the coroner subsequently released the identification.

Local context matters: this is Pueblo’s first reported homicide of the year, after the city recorded no homicides through the same point in 2025. The shooting occurred at a hotel just west of I-25 and north of Fortino Boulevard, a busy corridor for travelers and local commuters. Police presence and inquiries at that junction have implications for residents who live, work, or travel through North Elizabeth Street. Officers urge anyone with information or video from the area to come forward as the investigation continues.

There is one timing inconsistency in early accounts that appears to be a typographical error; most official timestamps put the call to officers at approximately 6:34 p.m., not in the morning. For readers tracking the case file, the immediate items to watch are the coroner’s autopsy results and McKenney’s arraignment on the first-degree murder allegation.

This case shifts quickly from a scene investigation to courtroom procedure. Expect public records from the Pueblo County jail and District Court to clarify charging language, custody status, and upcoming hearings, and for investigators to release more details as witness interviews and forensic work move forward.