The person who killed five people at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ nightclub in November pleaded guilty to 51 charges on Monday, marking the end of Anderson Aldrich’s time in Colorado’s 4th Judicial District Court, but what’s next for the convicted mass shooter? 

Aldrich, who was sentenced to five life sentences and 2,208 years in prison as part of the plea agreement, will be transferred out of the El Paso County jail in the coming days to a state prison.

Anderson Aldrich pleads guilty in Club Q massacre, gets 5 life sentences and 2,000-plus years in prison

At the press conference, District Attorney Michael Allen told media that he was unsure of which Colorado prison Aldrich would be transferred to. 

While Aldrich’s case has come to a close at the state level, further charges could await at the federal level. 

Mark Michalek, an FBI special agent, confirmed at the press conference that the bureau has opened an investigation into Aldrich. 

A federal case for Aldrich could result in placement in a federal prison or the death penalty, which remains illegal in the state of Colorado. 

Because of the accepted plea deal, Aldrich is unable to appeal the case in the Colorado Supreme Court, meaning the federal-level case is all that potentially remains for Aldrich. 

Allen stated at the press conference that he would like to see Aldrich sentenced to death at the federal level if federal prosecutors opt to pursue charges. 

Some legal experts speculated that Aldrich accepted the plea deal in an effort to avoid the federal death penalty. 

Reaction to reported plea deal for alleged Club Q shooter Anderson Aldrich: ‘You’re not really in a position to say no’

Aldrich’s mother, Laura Voepel, received significant blame from prosecutors and victims at Monday’s sentencing hearing for allowing Aldrich to commit the shooting.

Voepel currently faces misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct after police told Voepel on Nov. 20, 2022, that her child had been arrested in connection with a murder.

Voepel’s attorney has requested a competency evaluation to be performed on her client, and the misdemeanor case remains on hold as the court awaits the results of the evaluation.  

Victims of Club Q shooting speak on anger and loss at sentencing