WELD COUNTY, Colo. — The last time Denise Davenport was seen alive was in February 1985 — 39 years later, investigators still have questions about her death.
In a post about the cold case, the Weld County Sheriff's Office said Davenport, a 20-year-old student at the University of Northern Colorado, was initially reported as a missing person to the Greeley Police Department.
She was last seen leaving work at the Greeley Mall on Feb. 24, 1985. A few days later, her car was found in the parking lot of a student dormitory on the UNC campus, the sheriff's office said.
Then, in April of that same year, kayakers found Davenport's remains in the South Platte River, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
In their post, the sheriff's office referenced reporting from the Greeley Tribune in 1985 that detectives had interviewed more than 100 of Davenport's loved ones, acquaintances and other potential witnesses while also investigating "over 70 tips" about the case.
Detectives also looked for clues about her death in the dirt from the area where her body was discovered, but "there were no noteworthy findings," according to the sheriff's office.
Davenport's death is being investigated as a homicide, and foul play is suspected.
The sheriff's office asked anyone with information about Davenport's death to contact Detective Byron Kastilahn at 970-400-2827 or at bkastilahn@weld.gov.
Those with information can also contact Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or through the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers Facebook page. Informants who submit tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to an arrest and filing of charges may be eligible for a cash reward, the sheriff's office said.
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