Rick Murphy Sentenced to 52 Years

Yesterday, Rick Edward Murphy was sentenced to 52 years in the Department of Corrections. Our office secured Mr. Murphy’s guilty plea in September 2025 to 2nd Degree Kidnapping, a class three felony, Assault in the 2nd Degree, a class four felony, and Criminal Attempt to Commit Assault in the 1st Degree, a class four felony.

On December 12th, 2022, Fort Collins Police Services responded to a 911 call. Rick Murphy, a man known to the homeowners, was confronted outside the home. He produced a handgun and forced the homeowner back inside. The homeowner’s wife hid with their 8-year-old child while remaining on the line with 911. Mr. Murphy led the homeowner upstairs and held the entire family hostage.

The entirety of this incident was recorded by 911 dispatch.

Fort Collins Police Services SWAT team, along with Crisis Negotiators, then responded and made contact with Mr. Murphy. He demanded that his brother, who was also known to the victims, be brought to the scene before Mr. Murphy would release the hostages. The child was released and recovered by officers while Mr. Murphy continued to assault the two homeowners. Eventually, Mr. Murphy surrendered to law enforcement.

Following the sentence, the victims shared, “We remain deeply saddened by the events of that day and the impact they have had. Our hope is that Rick receives the support and rehabilitation he needs during his time in prison. We believe the sentence, along with the reasoning provided by the judge, was fair and appropriate. We would like to commend the DA's office for its excellent work and the many first responders for their amazing response. We are thankful to have so many heroes in our community.”

“I am incredibly proud of our team for securing a significant sentence that fits the gravity of the crime, and I’m thankful to law enforcement for their response, which ensured that day did not end in greater tragedy,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. “Being attacked and held hostage in your home is unimaginable, and the terror Mr. Murphy inflicted on these victims is horrific. I hope that this resolution can help them to begin to heal.”