Fourth Judicial District Judge Robin Chittum determined Timothy Arvidson will not be able to bond out of jail because there enough evidence to proceed with the first-degree murder charge in connection with a shooting death in May.

Arvidson, a 2024 Republican state Senate candidate, was arrested in the middle of the street inside the gated Villa De Mesa neighborhood near 21st Street and U.S. 24 after allegedly shooting and killing 43-year-old Robert Dougher. The shooting followed a dispute the afternoon of May 24.

Chittum rejected Arvidson’s claim of self-defense.

Evidence presented to Chittum — most notably body-worn camera footage between Arvidson and a Colorado Springs police officer — contributed to the judge’s belief that the defendant was the initial aggressor and instigator.

“He was aggressive, amped up, fired up and ready to pick a fight,” Chittum said, adding it was clear that Arvidson, 65, wanted to deal with the neighbors involved in a longtime feud.

The dispute began with Arvidson’s belief that Dougher and his friend, John Mitchell, were drug dealers. It escalated the day of the shooting when Arvidson approached Dougher, Mitchell and two others and began accusing them of being drug dealers, according to police. A verbal fight broke out, and then at least one shot was fired when Arvidson returned with a gun.

The question of who was the initial aggressor was among several elements of Arvidson’s self-defense claim that the judge dissected.

Chittum said that Arvidson switched his statements over who threatened him with a gun. He initially told officer Joshua Keffer that Dougher charged him with a gun, but later said that he “thought” Dougher had a gun. At another point, Arvidson states that Mitchell had the weapon.

The only firearm recovered at the scene belonged to Arvidson. Authorities found two guns inside Mitchell’s home, but one was a cap gun and the other was determined to likely not have been used because it was buried under a couch amid clutter.

Chittum said it didn’t seem credible that Dougher charged Arvidson, as he claimed, because evidence and testimony placed the victim about two steps from a mailbox when he was shot in the chest.

Arvidson was standing in the middle of the street at the time, and a blood trail indicated that Dougher was closer to the mailbox than he was to Arvidson, Chittum said.

The judge noted other inconsistencies in Arvidson’s statements.

Chittum said the first-degree murder charge was “pretty straightforward,” detailing several times when Arvidson deliberated about his actions.

The critical moment, Chittum said, was when he went to his home during the altercation and returned with a handgun.

“He decided he was going to kill somebody,” the judge said.

Arvidson will appear in court Oct. 8 to enter his plea.