KUSA - Cold-case units are common among the police and sheriff's departments, but not every single district attorney's office has one.
Assistant District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District Mark Hurlbert oversees Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. He runs the district's new cold-case unit, created by District Attorney George Brauchler after his election in 2012.
The cold cases profiled by 9NEWS on air and online were picked by Hurlbert and his team based on what they call the "solvability factor."
There are too many questions on the mind of Hazel Brewer. On Jan. 18, 2004, Hazel found her daughter Rhonda Holland murdered.
"I ... relive that day over and over, trying to think was there something that I should've noticed," Brewer said. "Because I was the one that found her. That was just unbelievable."
Court records say Holland's parents were concerned they couldn't reach her that weekend. That Sunday, they went to Season's Givings - a store they owned and Holland ran. Brewer found her daughter stabbed. She was 46 years old.
Brewer told 9NEWS she didn't think her daughter was dead at first. She thought she slipped and fallen on the stairs.
"What did she ever do to anybody that they were that angry? Because that is a violent way of dying," Brewer said.
Everything surrounding the case is constantly swirling in Brewer's mind - and has been for a decade now.
"If you get shot, that's one thing. But it's really personal to be stabbed, and it shows a lot of anger," she said. "I don't know of anybody that Rhonda knew that would dislike her that much."
Brewer was close to getting answers, or so she thought. In 2007, three years after Holland was killed, prosecutors named a suspect, 46-year-old Gregory Parker.
He was serving a 60-year prison sentence for killing his wife, a murder he committed a month after Holland was killed. According to court records, Parker stabbed his wife to death after an argument. He called police a few hours later and confessed.
A fellow inmate told investigators Parker admitted to him that he'd killed Holland.
Parker knew her and, at one point, lived across the street.
"Police had probable cause to believe Gregory Parker murdered Rhonda Holland," Hurlbert said. "Based upon the type of crime - Rhonda Holland was murdered by her neck being slashed with a knife - Gregory Parker murdered his wife in much the same manner about two weeks later. They arrested Gregory Parker, and we filed charges on him."
Hurlbert said, as prosecutors were getting close to trial, they realized they didn't have enough to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. According to court documents, Parker denied his involvement in Holland's killing. Murder charges against Parker in this case were dropped, and the case was dismissed.
Hurlbert didn't work on the case back then. The 2007 filing of charges and their dismissal happened under the previous DA. The case came to Hurlbert's attention in 2013 when he moved from being a district attorney in Summit County to being an assistant DA alongside the newly elected Brauchler, who created the cold-case unit.
"These cases kind of get under your skin," Hurlbert said. "It really becomes a passion towards trying to solve these things."
There are more than 200 cold cases in the 18th Judicial District alone.
Of those, Hurlbert, one full-time prosecutor and two part-time people are actively looking into 40 to 50 cases.
"I would love to be looking at every single of the 200, but unfortunately, it's resources," he said.
Some cases are right where Hurlbert can see them, on a white board that hangs on the wall in front of his desk.
"All these are victims' names," he said. "It's about the victim and getting ... justice for the victim.
That's why Holland's case is getting another look.
"It really can be frustrating because you want to provide the answers, you want to provide the answers to every person," Hurlbert said.
Littleton Police preserved Holland's car. They say it was driven by someone from the murder scene to a nearby motel after she was killed.
"There's some forensic evidence that we are looking at in the car," Hurlbert said. "When this crime happened, we probably wouldn't have been able to get that forensic evidence. That's what we're doing right now is processing, seeing if there is DNA in some places in the car."
If the miracles of modern technology help investigators find anything, it will just be another step toward solving Holland's murder.
"People tend to think of DNA as kind of the end-all-be-all, and that [if] we have a DNA hit, that automatically we have the crime solved," he said. "That really isn't true. DNA is a tool. It's a great tool to have, but really if we get a DNA hit, that's not the end of our investigation. That's really the start."
Hurlbert said he doesn't want to give false hope to victims' family members. He said his unit is looking at cases with a new set of eyes and with improved technology at their disposal. The reality is they may never find anything.
"But at least we're looking," he said. "There [are these questions] out there: 'who did it? Is this person running free? What is going on with the person that killed my loved one?' If we can provide the answers that starts the healing process for some people. That's a great thing for us."
Holland's 81-year-old mom isn't really sure she'll live to see the day, but she hopes someone will help her find answers someday.
If anybody knows anything, please call the Littleton Police Department.
Names: Erin Courtney Golla, James Donald Springer and Robert "Bobby" William Zajac
Ages: Golla was 26, Springer was 29 and Zajac was 23
Location: AMF Broadway Bowl, 5485 S. Broadway, Littleton
Date when crime occurred: Jan. 27, 2002
Summary: Littleton Police officers were dispatched to the AMF Broadway Bowl bowling alley on a call of shots fired with multiple victims. Upon arrival, the officers found the three victims inside the closed business. All three died from gunshot wounds. A botched robbery has not been ruled out as the motive, but we are investigating other possibilities. James Springer and Erin Golla were employees of the bowling alley. Robert Zajac, a talented amateur bowler, was an employee at another bowling alley, but was at the Broadway Bowl that night, practicing and preparing for a competition. He was apparently friendly with the employees of Broadway Bowl, as he was a regular there. On the night of his murder, he was waiting for Springer to give him a ride home. Springer had recently moved to Denver from Utah, as he thought it would be a safe place to live and raise his family. He started working at the bowling alley on Dec. 7, 2012. He was shot to death seven weeks later. He left behind a wife and two children - then ages 18 months and 4 months. Erin Golla grew up in Jefferson County and worked at the bowling alley in the bar/dining area. She was a divorced mother of two. The ages of her two young daughters are unknown.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Commander Trent Cooper - 303-795-3848, Sergeant Joe Ward - 303-795-3884, Detective Sam Mullins - 303-795-3891, Littleton Police Department dispatch - 303-794-1551
Name: Marilee Ruth Burt
Age: 15
Location: 6000 block of South Middlefield Road in Arapahoe County
Date when crime occurred: Feb. 26 or Feb. 27, 1970
Summary: On a chilly winter evening on Feb. 26, 1970, then-15-year-old Marilee Burt finished cheerleading a basketball game at Goddard Middle School. Her home in Columbine Valley was a short distance away, so when her ride did not show up, Marilee began walking. Despite several independent witnesses seeing Marilee walk a route that included Berry Drive, Bowles Avenue and Middlefield Road, she never made it home. Marilee was last seen talking to someone in a vehicle that had stopped on South Middlefield Road. Her family began a frantic search and reported Marilee as missing to Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. Authorities immediately began canvassing the area, but she was not found that evening. The search continued into the next day and ended tragically around noon. A Jefferson County road crew discovered Marilee's nude body in Deer Creek Canyon, southwest from where she was last seen. It was determined that Marilee had been strangled and raped, but no solid suspect leads developed and the case went cold. During a 1998 review of the case, evidence collected in 1970 was submitted for DNA analysis and yielded a full donor profile. This, in turn, allowed for the elimination of a long list of possible suspects. Currently, the Cold Case Team is utilizing this new genetic profile in an attempt to identify Marilee's killer.
Who to contact with tips on the case: If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office at 303-795-4711, or email coldcase@arapahoegov.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous you can also call the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office "Tip Line" at 720-874-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.
Name: Melissa Chase
Age: 17
Location: Littleton
Date when crime occurred: Dec. 8, 1983
Summary: Melissa Chase worked at a convenience store in Englewood. She reportedly left work at about 5 p.m. on Dec. 7 and was last seen walking southbound on Broadway. Her body was discovered about 31 hours later. Melissa was found partially nude, badly beaten under the bridge where Big Dry Creek crosses under Lehow Street in Littleton. Her body was found by her then-boyfriend, Jeffrey Freeman. Freeman had been a suspect in the case from the beginning, even though charges were never filed against him. He was murdered in El Paso, Texas in 2012.
Who to contact with tips on the case: People with information regarding this case should contact Littleton Police
Name: Andrew Gelston Graham
Age: 23
Location: 8700 block of East Phillips Place in Arapahoe County
Date when crime occurred: Nov. 6, 2009
Summary: On Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, at approximately 11:40 p.m., Andrew was seen alive when he exited the light rail train at the County Line and Interstate 25 station. Graham, who was carrying a bag with personal items, was walking to his home in the area when he was murdered at about five minutes past midnight the next morning. Witnesses report hearing the sound of gunshots in the area of East Phillips Place and South Yosemite Street at that time. At about 5:30 a.m., the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a person who was lying face down on a residential lawn in the 8700 block of East Phillips Place. When the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived on the scene, they found Graham dead. Graham's cause of death was determined to be from gunshot wounds. The intense investigation indicates this senseless murder was the result of a random encounter between Andrew and several gang members who were in the area looking for non-gang members to accost. Numerous subjects have come forward with information on this case but additional information is still need to bring this case to court and ultimately provide justice to Andrew, his family and the community.
Who to contact with tips on the case: If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office at 303-795-4711, or email coldcase@arapahoegov.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous you can also call the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office "Tip Line" at 720-874-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.
Name: Oakey Albert Kite, Jr.
Age: 53
Location: 2002 S. Helena St., Aurora
Date when crime occurred: May 24, 2004
Summary: On May 24, officers found the victim in the basement of his town home. The victim failed to report to work which prompted co-workers to call in a welfare check. The residence was found secure. The victim had placed an ad in the paper for a roommate and apparently the ad was answered by the suspect, who used a name that police have redacted. After the murder, the victim's credit cards were used at nearby businesses. The victim's vehicle was located near the victim's residence. The suspect called ads for roommates posted only at the University of Colorado Hospital in the bookstore. The suspect's cellular telephone was purchased at a 7-Eleven store near this bookstore. This case was aired both on America's Most Wanted and on a show featured on the Discovery Channel called "Sensing Murder."
Who to contact with tips on the case: Call Detective S.W. Conner at 303-739-6190 or email at swconner@auroragov.org
Name: Sylvia May Quayle
Age: 35
Location: 3800 S. Ogden St., Cherry Hills Village
Date when crime occurred: Sometime between 11 p.m. on Aug. 3 and 7:45 a.m. on Aug. 4, 1981
Summary: Sylvia Quayle was shot with small caliber bullet and then stabbed multiple times in her home. Quayle had succumbed to her injuries before police and fire arrived on scene. There is no known motive at this time.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Cherry Hills Village Police Tip Line at 303-783-2743
Name: Violet Rose Newman
Age: 57
Location: Castlewood Canyon
Date when crime occurred: Between Oct. 25 and 26, 1980
Summary: Violet Rose Newman was a hardworking mother and wife. On Oct. 25, 1980 after completing her work shift at May D&F in the Southglenn Mall, she was last seen walking toward her car. When she did not arrive home, her husband started contacting friends and family. Her car was found several blocks from her home, and it was obvious that something tragic had occurred in that car. The next day, hikers in Castlewood Canyon discovered a body under some debris, off the path in the foliage. Investigation confirmed it was Violet Newman. Evidence was present, collected and preserved back in 1980. In 2004, the evidence was reexamined and submitted to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for DNA testing. The new testing provided a DNA profile of the murderer. That same DNA profile was used to eliminate several suspects from the original 1980 investigation. A suspect matching the DNA profile has yet to be identified and the case remains unsolved.
Who to contact with tips on the case: If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office at 303-795-4711, or email coldcase@arapahoegov.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous you can also call the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office "Tip Line" at (720) 874-8477 or "Crime Stoppers" at (720) 913-STOP.
Name: Helene Pruszynski
Age: 21
Location: Douglas County
Date when crime occurred: Jan. 16, 1980
Summary: Helene was in Colorado participating in an internship at the KHOW radio station in Denver. Helene was staying with a relative in Englewood and would ride public transportation to and from her internship. On Jan. 16, 1980, she never returned to her relative's home and was immediately reported missing. She was found the following morning stabbed to death in a field on Daniels Park Road in Douglas County.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Anyone has any information regarding Helene's death can contact Sgt. Jenny McMillan at the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at 303-660-7562.
Name: Nancy Lynn Begg Shoupp
Age: 26
Location: Never found
Date when crime occurred: April 28, 1990
Summary: The last time Nancy Lynn Begg Shoupp was seen was on Saturday, April 28, 1990, when she left Boulder and was headed home to meet with her estranged husband, Steve, to pick up their two small children. Steve and Nancy were separated, and Nancy had decided her marriage with Steve was damaged beyond repair; therefore, she had filed for divorce. Reportedly Nancy never arrived to pick up the children from Steve. After many unsuccessful attempts to reach Nancy, her mother, who lived in Grand Junction, called Nancy's employer on Monday and learned that she had not shown up for work. According to Nancy's employer, it was extremely unusual for Nancy not to call in if she was going to be late or miss work; because of this, the authorities were notified. Investigators found Nancy's vehicle at her residence; however, Nancy was nowhere to be found. Nancy Lynn Begg Shoupp has not been seen or heard from since April 28, 1990, and foul play is suspected in her disappearance because Nancy, being a devoted mother, would never leave her children by choice.
Who to contact with tips on the case: If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office at 303-795-4711, or email coldcase@arapahoegov.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous you can also call the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office "Tip Line" at (720) 874-8477 or "Crime Stoppers" at (720) 913-STOP.
**NOTE: The following cold cases have been profiled by 9Wants To Know, also for their "solvability factor."
Name: Michael Reichert
Age: 36
Location: W. Colfax Ave and King Street, Denver
Date when crime occurred: October 9, 2000
Summary: Michael Reichert was found dead, lying next to his truck in a parking lot on West Colfax Ave. He had been beaten. Detectives say the case is difficult to solve because there are no witnesses, no murder weapon, and no motive in the case. The Reichert family is offering $50,000 reward for information leading to the killer.
9Wants To Know:Family offers $50K reward in Colfax cold case murder
Name: Shaquille Hargrove
Age: 19
Location: 15th and Market streets, Denver
Date when crime occurred: July 13, 2013
Summary: Shaquille Hargrove was an airman stationed at Buckley Air Force Base. He went to LODO to celebrate a friend's birthday. A man shot him as he tried to break up a fight when the bars closed.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: $10,000 reward offered for Buckley Airman's killer
Name: Quentin Smith
Age: 22
Location: 3356 Pontiac Street
Date when crime occurred: Jan. 22, 2011
Summary: Quentin Smith was at a party at the home at 3356 Pontiac Street in N.E. Denver. When he walked out of the house to go home, a person, driving by in a dark sedan, shot at him multiple times.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Who killed Quentin Smith?
Name: Daniel Lovato
Age: 39
Location: 1902 Blake St., Denver
Date when crime occurred: April 27, 2013
Summary: Daniel Lovato was attending a Kottonmouth Kings concert at the Summit Music Hall. Lovato had a confrontation with another man who punched him once in the head. Lovato fell to the ground and later died.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Detectives release sketch in deadly one-punch fight
Name: Bruce Harrell
Age: 21
Location: 3000 Block Welton Street, Denver
Date when crime occurred: Jan. 11, 2006
Summary: Bruce Harrell was driving home with a friend just after 2 a.m. They stopped at a red light on Welton St. in the Five Points area. A second car pulled behind them, and one or more men got out and shot at Harrell's car. Harrell died. His passenger was injured.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers, 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Police want to hear again from tipster in murder case
Name: Troy Leyba
Age: 38
Location: Old Denver Post building, 1560 N. Broadway, Denver
Date when crime occurred: Jan. 31, 1999
Summary: Troy Leyba was heading to a bus stop after pre-Super Bowl festivities at a downtown bar. He was attacked and stabbed to death on the steps of the old Denver Post building. The killer stole Leyba's boots.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Super Bowl Sunday killer stole victim's boots
Names: Sarah Skiba, Paul Skiba and Lorenzo Chivers
Ages: Sarah, 9, Paul, 39, Lorenzo, 36
Location: Tuff's Moving, 7000 block of Raleigh St., Westminster.
Date when crime occurred: Feb. 7, 1999
Summary: Sarah Skiba tagged along with her dad when he went to work at his moving company that day. Lorenzo Chivers was an employee. All three disappeared after dropping off a moving truck at a storage lot in Westminster. Paul's and Sarah's blood was found at the storage lot. None of their remains have been found.
Who to contact with tips on the case: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 1-800-843-5678
9WANTS TO KNOW: Police hope for new leads in triple murder
Name: Damon Weyrough
Age: 35
Location: Rack'Em Billiards, 1919 S. Havana St., Aurora, CO
Date when crime occurred: Dec. 24, 2013
Summary: Damon Weyrough left a pool hall on Christmas Eve with a friend. He confronted three people standing next to the friend's car in the dark parking lot. After Weyrough chased them off the property, one shot him in the back.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Who shot an Aurora dad in the back on Christmas?
Name: Sam Cameron
Age: 25
Location: Alley behind 120 S. Pennsylvania St., Denver
Date when crime occurred: Aug. 23, 2005
Summary: Sam Cameron drove up behind a friend's apartment complex with two men in his car. The guy in the backseat shot Cameron in the head, and both passengers ran away. Police believe the two passengers ransacked Cameron's apartment after the murder.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Backseat gunman killed Denver dad
Name: Joseph Nelson
Age: 23
Location: W. 76th Ave. and Irving St., Westminster
Date when crime occurred: Nov. 10, 2005
Summary: Joseph Nelson confronted people in an SUV that was circling past his house. Several people were standing on his porch during the shooting, but they were unable to provide enough information to police.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Murder witnesses remain silent
Name: Paul Cortez
Age: 21
Location: York St. and Bruce Randolph Ave., Denver
Date when crime occurred: Oct. 27, 2010
Summary: Paul Cortez was shot down for no apparent reason while walking to the bus stop. He had been watching Game One of the World Series at a friend's house. Police still want to talk to three people seen at a convenience store just before the murder.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Man gunned down walking to bus stop
Name: Pariss Davis
Age: 16
Location: 26th and Humboldt, Denver
Date when crime occurred: March 29, 1998
Summary: Pariss Davis was walking alone down a residential street around 2 a.m.. He was gunned down by someone in a passing sedan. Relatives say Pariss got a message on his pager shortly before leaving the house that morning.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Was 16-year-old victim lured to his death?
Name: Julie Marchese
Age: 18
Location: Near Pepsi Plant at 38th Street and Arkins Court
Date when crime occurred: Dec. 14, 1980
Summary: Julie Marchese left a downtown party around daybreak and walked down Colfax trying to hitch a ride. Six hours later, her naked body was found in a drainage ditch in an industrial area.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Killer may have offered a ride to teen victim in 1980
Name: Richard "Dick" Beebe
Age: 74
Location: 1465 S. Jersey, Denver, CO
Date when crime occurred: July 14-17, 2013
Summary: Richard Beebe's family reported him missing after receiving a suspicious text message from his phone. The message indicated Richard was leaving town, possibly forever, with a new person in his life. Police say they found evidence of found play, and they believe Beebe is dead.
Who to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers 720-913-STOP
9WANTS TO KNOW: Killer may have sent text from missing man's phone
Name: Marquez Jones
Age: 24
Location: 8th Ave. & Lincoln, Denver
Date when crime occurred: Sept. 18, 2011
Summary: Jones and his friends were walking to their car at 2 a.m. when they got into a confrontation with another group outside a bar. Someone fire one shot, which struck and killed Jones.
Number/person to contact with tips on the case: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers (720) 913-STOP
9 WANTS TO KNOW: Many witnesses, no leads in Denver murder
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