Aurora police officer indicted on murder charge in 2025 shooting that killed a 37-year-old Black man

Aurora police officer Matthew Neely, 54, was indicted on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the Aug. 30, 2025 shooting death of Rajon Belt-Stubblefield, 37, during a traffic stop. Belt-Stubblefield, intoxicated and fleeing a speeding stop, crashed his vehicle after a pursuit. After the crash, Neely shot Belt-Stubblefield three times—twice in the chest and once in the head—after the man, unarmed at that moment, approached him in a fighting stance.

According to the indictment, Belt-Stubblefield had thrown a gun to the ground before the fatal confrontation and did not attempt to retrieve it. Neely punched Belt-Stubblefield in the face, prompting the man to advance toward the officer in a boxer's stance asking "Are you ready for this?" The officer shot him without announcing an arrest or final warning, stating afterward he feared losing a physical fight.