A man has officially been charged with six counts, including first-degree murder, in the killing of Colorado dog breeder Paul Peavey.

Peavey, who bred and sold Doberman puppies, was reported missing in late August 2024, and his body was discovered days later in a shallow grave on his property in Clear Creek County.

Investigators said Peavey suffered multiple gunshot wounds and that his head showed significant trauma. His stolen Doberman puppies, which he was selling for thousands of dollars, became a key part of the case.

On Friday, a judge officially charged Sergio Ferrer with first-degree murder, felony murder, aggravated robbery, tampering with a deceased human body, second-degree burglary and theft.

The ruling came after a preliminary hearing at which investigators revealed new details about Peavey’s death and how Ferrer allegedly stole all of his Doberman puppies right after.

Peavey, whose body was discovered in a clandestine grave, suffered three gunshot wounds to the chest and arm, and a fourth to the top of his head. Prosecutors presented photos that revealed a portion of the crown of Peavey’s skull and his brain was missing.

For more on this story, and others, visit The Denver Gazette’s news partner, 9News