A Cortez man who allegedly shot his roommate to death last week following an alcohol-fueled argument was advised of charges yesterday that could net him the death penalty.

Bradley Scott Cassels, 46, is charged with first-degree, premeditated murder as well as second-degree murder in a complaint filed in District Court Tuesday by District Attorney Mike Green.

Two sentence-enhancers — commission of a violent crime with a deadly weapon and commission of a violent crime with a dangerous automatic weapon — also included in the complaint could double the 8-to-24-year sentencing range in the event Cassels is convicted of the lesser murder charge, Montezuma County Judge Chris Leroi explained.

In the event the defendant is convicted of first-degree murder, Leroi added, the enhancers would be irrelevant, since the only possible punishment is life imprisonment or execution. The difference in the two charges is that deliberation, or acting after a period of thought, must be proven by the state for conviction of first-degree murder, but no deliberation needs to be shown to be found guilty of second-degree murder.

Cassels is accused of shooting Greg Allen Morris, 38, multiple times with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun at their apartment at 111 Piñon Drive on the evening of Jan. 11. He then allegedly called 911 to report the shooting and came out of the residence with his hands in the air upon the arrival of police. A weapon believed to have been used in the killing was recovered from the residence.

Police Chief Roy Lane expressed confidence that Cassels was the shooter, but said the suspect had made no statement after being advised of his right to remain silent. Apparently an argument had occurred earlier in the day, Lane said, and the hostilities were exacerbated by the consumption of hard liquor.