Taylor Park, CO Area Cold Cases

Name

Michelle Vanek

Age

35

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On september 24, 2005, 35 year old michelle vanek had come up from denver that morning and left half moon campground around 7:00 a.M. To go hiking. Near the summit of mt. Holy cross, michelle stated she was very tired and her friend told her to wait and he would go to the top and be right back. The friend stated he advised michelle if she wanted to head back down, to follow the trail and he would catch up with her. On his way down, the friend did not locate michelle. He stated he went back up to look for her and had talked to several hikers in the area. All had told him they had not seen her. The friend told deputies that michelle was a tri-athlete, but was an inexperienced high altitude hiker. Deputies were advised michelle was wearing a red shirt and black pants with hiking boots. The friend also advised michelle had approximately 3-4 layers of clothes with her. During the hike, michelle had run out of drinking water at approximately 1:15 p.M., when she stopped to rest. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the eagle county sheriff's office.

Agency

Eagle County Sheriff's Office

Name

Melba Ginther

Age

57

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On monday, may 20, 2002, at around 7:00 pm, melba ginther, 57, was found murdered just off of highway 24 between minturn and leadville at the pando railroad interchange. Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to contact the eagle county sheriff's office.

Agency

Eagle County Sheriff's Office

Name

Samuel Rodriguez

Age

35

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Samuel chavez rodriguez was reported missing on april 20, 2019. His car and personal belongings are at his residence. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the eagle police department.

Agency

Eagle Police Department

Name

Harold Young

Age

53

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On august 30, 2004, harold young was reported missing by a co-worker. He was last seen on august 29, 2004 at 1:00 p.M. Mr. Young was depressed over recent events in his life and had made numerous comments stating his desire to end his life. He may be armed. A vehicle associated with this case is a white 1982 ford pickup truck with an extra tall camper. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the gunnison police department.

Agency

Gunnison Police Department

Name

James Rowe

Age

26

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Circumstances unknown. 26 year old james rowe was last seen in crestone, co. He may have been on foot. Extensive k-9 searches have met with negative results. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the saguache county sheriff's office.

Agency

Saguache County Sheriff's Office

Name

Lee Ochs

Age

36

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Lee ochs was last seen at his job site north of leadville, colorado on october 31st, 2012. Two weeks later his vehicle was found abandoned on methodist mountain at the end of county road 110 in salida, colorado. No immediate signs of foul play were found in the car. Mr. Ochs is wanted on two felony warrants out of arapahoe county and has violent tendencies. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact detective sgt. Andy rohrich at (719)530-5729, or chaffee county crime stoppers at (719) 539-5299.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Brenda Shepard

Age

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the saguache county sheriff's office.

Agency

Saguache County Sheriff's Office

Name

Gregory Carter

Age

32

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Gregory carter was last seen in leadville colorado of the last week of may in 1984. On july 16, 1984, mr. Carter's vehicle was found abandoned near buffalo meadows trail head in chaffee county. It was later learned that his vehicle has been there since may. Mr. Carter liked his privacy and hadn't been in contact with his family (nebraska) since 1978. He liked camping but most of his gear was found at his home in leadville. Mr. Carter had also been recently laid off from his job. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to please contact the chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Ray Collins

Age

57

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

57 year old ray collins, a resident of winter haven fl, was mineral collecting in salida, co with 2 male friends. One friend returned to fl on a family emergency, then a few days later, the other friend returned driving collins' pick-up truck. It was later discovered that that friend had taken out a $25,000 life insurance policy on collins. The friend said that collins had wanted to go to the grand canyon, so he dropped him off at a bus station in colorado springs. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Richard Ellis

Age

37

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Richard ellis was found behind the counter of the convenience store where he was working on january 3 1995. Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Nancy Mason

Age

47

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Memorial weekend 2004 nancy mason was fishing with her husband and a family friend when she took a fatal fall off a cliff. Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Leslie Slama

Age

59

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Beverly England

Age

32

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Beverly england disappeared on june 12, 1980. Remains were found years later and identified as beverly england. The case has since been ruled a homicide and investigation continues. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Michael Conn

Age

27

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Michael has been missing since approximately 01/01/2017. His last exact date of contact is unknown. According to michael's mom she advises that michael was last seen in hanover, co and may have traveled to buena vista, co with 2 unknown male individuals he had recently met. If anyone has any information regarding this case please contact chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

JC Kreig

Age

69

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Jc kreig was last seen on june 25, 2017. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the fremont county sheriff's office.

Agency

Fremont County Sheriff's Office

Name

Suzanne Morphew

Age

49

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On may 10, 2020, suzanne morphew was reported missing. Her remains were found in september of 2023. This case is ongoing as new leads are developed. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the chaffee county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Barbara Oberholtzer

Age

30

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Ms. Oberholtzer was last seen at 7:50 p.M. On wednesday, january 6, 1982 hitchhiking south out of the town of breckenridge, colorado. Ms. Oberholtzer's body was located approximately 3:00 p.M. The next day on january 7, 1982 on the summit of hoosier pass at 11,000+ feet elevation. A small parking lot is located at the pass summit and the body was found approximately 300 feet further south along the road to fairplay, colorado. The summit is approximately 10 miles south of breckenridge, colorado along colorado state highway 9. The shooting occurred outside in a rural, isolated, mountain area next to colorado highway 9. It would have been dark, possibly snowing, and very cold (-20 degrees f). Death was due to loss of blood from a gunshot wound of the chest, with a second grazing wound to the right breast, and appeared to have occurred at the location of the body. The body was found approximately 20 feet off of the highway, down a snow embankment, and was lying on her back. Items from ms. Oberholtzer's back pack/purse were located approximately 20 miles from the crime scene along us highway 285 south and east toward denver, colorado. The weapon used was a .38/.357 handgun using a remington/peters copper jacketed hollow point bullet. This weapon has not been recovered. A copper jacket from ms. Oberholtzer;s body is available for comparison. Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the park county sheriff's office or visit www.Rockymountaincoldcase.Com

Agency

Park County Sheriff's Office

Name

Annette Schnee

Age

22

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

The victim was last seen hitchhiking south from the town of breckenridge. Ms. Schnee was last seen at approximately 4:45 p.M. On wednesday january 6, 1982. Ms. Schnee's body was located 6 months after her disappearance/death on july 3, 1982 in rural park county, colorado approximately 20 miles south of breckenridge. She was shot outside in a rural, isolated, mountain valley area where there would be no witnesses. It would have been dark, possibly snowing, and very cold (-20 degrees f). The death was due to loss of blood from a single gunshot wound to the back, and appeared to have occurred at the location where the body was found. The body was found face down in a small stream, fully clothed, but with clothing in disarray. Cold weather and cold water preserved the body for an autopsy. The weapon used was possibly a .38/.357/9 mm handgun. No bullet was found in the body. Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the park county sheriff's office or visit www.Rockymountaincoldcase.Com

Agency

Park County Sheriff's Office

Name

Donald Allison

Age

29

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On august 18, 1979, the body of an unidentified male was found in a remote area of lenado, within pitkin county, colorado. The unidentified male was wearing a wrist watch, glasses in his shirt pocket, and jeans and a shirt. The autopsy report revealed the unidentified male had been shot two times. Through a namus database search this john doe was identified as donald allison. Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the pitkin county sheriff's office.

Agency

Pitkin County Sheriff's Office

Name

Michael Blair

Age

33

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Michael blair has been missing from fairplay, colorado since january 30, 2020. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the park county sheriffs office.

Agency

Park County Sheriff's Office

Name

Susan Cullinan

Age

34

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On april 6, 1986, while visiting a friend ms. Cullinan was shot. Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the frisco police department.

Agency

Frisco Police Department

Name

Julie Cunningham

Age

26

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

26 year old julie cunningham was last seen in vail, colorado on march 15, 1975. She disappeared early in the evening after she left her apartment in the apollo park neighborhood to visit a local tavern. She was last seen wearing a brown suede jacket, blue jeans, a ski cap, and boots. She has never been heard from again. Although never charged in her case, serial killer ted bundy confessed to cunningham's murder. Bundy stated that he lured her into his vehicle by posing as an injured skier on crutches and asking her to help carry his ski boots. He claims he knocked her unconscious, drove her to a remote area about eighty miles west of vail and raped her. He states he strangled her and then disposed of her body in a shallow grave near rifle, co in a high desert area with a circular drive and some large trees. Her body was never found, however. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the vail police department.

Agency

Vail Police Department

Name

Daniel Keller

Age

29

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Daniel keller was last seen in paris outside of the french foreign legion gates. According to the reporting party, his phone went dead and mr. Keller had not checked his email or picked up money that was wired to him. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the eagle police department.

Agency

Eagle Police Department

Name

Jose Rascon-Avila

Age

45

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Jose rascon-avila was last seen in 2009, and has not contacted family since. Mr. Rascon-avila is believed to be in arizona. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the silverthorne police department.

Agency

Silverthrone Police Department

Name

Migdali Cruz

Age

35

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Agency

Vail Police Department

Name

Samuel Schrup

Age

35

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

On august 8, 2009, 35 year old samuel schrup's vehicle was found abandoned on shrine pass road in eagle county, colorado. There was a campsite set up in the area of the vehicle. The vehicle had dust and pine cone needles on it, so it appeared to have been there for some time. There was a hand written journal in the vehicle, the entry stated; "About to hike a hill. See you after". A search including use of a k-9 with rescue found nothing. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the eagle county sheriff's office.

Agency

Eagle County Sheriff's Office

Name

Jose Garcia

Age

30

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Found on I-70, multiple gunshot wounds. Was a mexican national traveling to mexico.

Agency

Jefferson County Sheriff

Name

Debra Hageman

Age

39

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

April 14, 1996, 39 year old debra hageman was reported to have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, whereby her vehicle ended up in the colorado river. The vehicle was pulled from the river, but debra was not found. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the eagle county sheriff's office.

Agency

Eagle County Sheriff's Office

Name

Stephen Blair

Age

50

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Agency

Frisco Police Department

Name

Tommy Watkins

Age

27

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

Anyone with information regarding this case, is asked to please contact the lake county sheriff's office.

Agency

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Name

Patricia Lilly

Age

43

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Patricia ann lilly was last seen at bison mountain 94 in fairplay, colorado on october 5, 1980. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the park county sheriff's office.

Agency

Park County Sheriff's Office

Name

Tereasa Knuth

Age

23

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

23 year old tereasa knuth was camping with her boyfriend, fred calkins, when he reported her missing on august 24, 1981. Knuth left behind her identification, cigarettes, and other personal items. No traces of knuths whereabouts were found in the area or at the campsite. Extensive searches of the area have been performed over the years and yielded no new leads. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the summit county sheriff's office.

Agency

Summit County Sheriff's Office

Name

Michael McClure

Age

30

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

30 year old michael mcclure was last seen in cannon city, colorado on november 26, 1990. Michael mcclure's roommate reported him missing when mcclure never returned home to their wildernest condo. Mcclure had called in sick to his plumbing job the day before, and his roommate hadn't seen or heard from him in more than 36 hours. Mr. Mcclure has a history of depression and may have been suicidal. He was last seen wearing a light tan jacket, blue jeans, tennis shoes, and glasses. Mcclure was driving his 1972 gold-painted four-door chevrolet chevelle, which had colorado license plates wpx-187. His vehicle has never been located. Foul play is suspected. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact the summit county sheriff's office.

Agency

Summit County Sheriff's Office

Name

Peggy Reynolds

Age

21

Cause of Death

Missing

Info

Peggy reynolds was last seen in silverthrone, colorado on april 4, 1974. She was last seen wearing a dark blue turtleneck, a plaid shirt, blue corduroy pants, white undergarments, brown hiking boots, a red bandanna, a gold wedding band, and possibly earrings. She was carrying a st. Christoper key ring with keys. The jacket that ms. Reynolds was wearing was recovered by searchers. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to please contact summit county sheriff's office.

Agency

Summit County Sheriff's Office

Name

Nikolaos Stratinas

Age

27

Cause of Death

Homicide

Info

On january 29, 1986, nikolaos stratinas spoke to his family overseas by phone, this was the last time he was known to have been heard from alive. Nikolaos stratinas was reported as a missing person from arapahoe county on february 18, 1986. Nikolaos stratinas was found ten days later, 5 miles north of silverthorne, colorado, just feet from state highway 9. Evidence at the scene suggested nikolaos stratinas' body had been placed in that location some time after he died. Nikolaos stratinas' cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. If you have any information regarding this case, please call the summit county sheriff's office.

Agency

Summit County Sheriff's Office