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Fort Collins Cold Cases

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Fort Collins, Colorado Cold Cases

Fort Collins, Colorado, is a picture-perfect city that takes great pride in its low crime rate and friendly atmosphere. Yet, it has had its fair share of mysteries and missing persons cases over the years, just like any other location. Some such cases have gone cold since 1980, leaving grieving families with no closure.

Since 1980, 15 people have gone missing or been murdered in Fort Collins, according to data from the Fort Collins Police Department. Eleven of these incidents include murder, while the other four involve people going missing. All of the victims, who ranged in age from 15 to 55, were either murdered or went missing without a trace.

The murder of Peggy Hettrick is one of the best-known unsolved mysteries in Fort Collins. On February 11, 1987, Hettrick, then 37 years old, was discovered dead in a field close to her home. For over a decade, no one knew who killed her, but in 1999, a man named Tim Masters was found guilty. In 2008, DNA evidence established Masters' innocence, and the real murderer has yet to be caught.

Similarly, the disappearance of Rachel Marie Kozloff has captivated the residents of Fort Collins as a cold case. Kozloff, then 22 years old, had not been seen since July 28th, 1989. There was no indication of her near the abandoned automobile in the parking lot. Her whereabouts are unknown, despite intensive searches and inquiries.

There is a special Cold Case Unit within the Fort Collins Police Department whose sole purpose is to investigate unsolved crimes and provide closure to the victims' loved ones. The team consists of seasoned investigators who reexamine evidence and reinterview witnesses using cutting-edge methods and tools. Along with forensic scientists, they examine DNA samples and other pieces of physical evidence that could have been missed before.

Famous cold cases in Fort Collins

The Cold Case Unit works with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, among others, to share data and resources in the interest of solving cold cases. They also use public outreach strategies like social media in the hopes that someone with information about these incidents may come forward.

The Fort Collins Police Department understands that certain cases may never be solved no matter how hard they try. Nonetheless, they will not give up seeking justice for the victims and their families and will keep plugging away at these cases until they are finally resolved.

Finally, the unsolved incidents of murder and disappearance in Fort Collins, Colorado, serve as a heartbreaking reminder that no community is completely safe. The Fort Collins Police Department's Cold Case Unit is still actively looking into these cold cases, despite the fact that they haven't been solved in decades. Even if victims and their families never get the justice they deserve, the department will never stop hoping for closure.

Joseph Smedley
Joseph SmedleySuspicious Death, 2015
Asha Degree
Asha DegreeMissing, 2000

Consider this

More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime community—together we can do better.

What is Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS)'s strategy for investigating unsolved cases?

When it comes to maintaining order in Fort Collins, Colorado, the police department is the go-to option. Fort Collins Police Service has a specialized Cold Case Murder Unit to look into killings and other suspicious deaths that have occurred inside the municipal borders of Fort Collins but have yet to be solved.

Two detectives make up the Cold Case Homicide Unit, which reviews cold cases on a regular basis and assigns priorities according on whether or not they can be solved. To aid with forensic analysis and other investigative procedures, they collaborate closely with other agencies like the Larimer County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Families of those killed in homicides that remain unsolved can turn to the Fort Collins Police Services' victim advocate program for help. Emotional support, help in communicating with law enforcement, and access to information about the criminal justice system are all provided by this program.

The Fort Collins Police Department has also made use of technologies like DNA testing and family tree analysis to solve cold cases. They also keep an up-to-date, publicly available database of cold cases online in the hopes of receiving useful leads from the public.

In conclusion, in order to investigate unsolved killings and bring closure to families of victims, the Fort Collins Police Services Cold Case Homicide Unit uses a wide range of investigative techniques, collaborates closely with other agencies, and makes use of technology and community outreach.

What resources are available to help solve cold cases?

Fort Collins, Colorado residents can use a variety of tools to investigate and perhaps solve cold cases, including:

The Fort Collins Police Department has a special squad dedicated to reopening cold cases, including murders that have gone unsolved and people who have gone missing. When a case needs to be solved, they team up with other law enforcement authorities and forensic specialists.

The Fort Collins Police Department receives help and resources from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Cold case detectives are on their staff.

The Colorado DNA Databank is a depository for DNA profiles of convicted offenders and DNA evidence gathered at crime scenes. The information in the database can be utilized to track down criminals and establish connections between incidents.

If you have information about a crime in Northern Colorado, you can anonymously report it to Crime Stoppers, a non-profit organization. They partner with law enforcement and provide incentives for information leading to an arrest.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a resource for families who have a kid who has gone missing. They collaborate with authorities, families, and members of the community to find missing children and return them to their homes.

Major cities surrounding Fort Collins, Colorado

Denver, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Greeley, Colorado
Longmont, Colorado

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