Special Report: up to 6 serial killers murdered dozens over 20-year span in Denver metro area

An average of twice a year between 1975 and 1995, the nude body of a young girl or woman appeared along rural roads and fields encircling Denver. Many were teen-agers.

Most of the murders were never solved, and a new effort is underway by a loose-knit group of cold case detectives from around the metro area who are trying to find the answers in the decades-old killings.

Those detectives have submitted evidence from various cases the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for DNA testing, hoping new technology might identify a prolific killer — or killers.

The work is driven by a simple belief: That anywhere between four and up to a half-dozen serial killers were stalking Denver-area streets between 1975 and 1995, according to detectives, murdering an untold number of women. Some investigators believe the number of victims may be as few as 17 — or as many as 38.

Authorities believe convicted serial killer Vincent Groves, who died in prison, was responsible for as many as 11 murders.

The following are 27 cases not believed to be connected to Groves. All but two are unsolved. Many of the following cases have links to cold case profiles:

Melanie Suzanne Cooley
Age: 18
Occupation: high school student
When disappeared: April 15, 1975
When found: May 2, 1975
Where last seen: Nederland High School
Where found: Coal Creek Canyon, Jefferson County
Cause of death: Bludgeoned in head with rock
Unusual circumstances: body found nude

Read Cold Cases blog profile about Melanie Cooley’s case
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Rebecca Kellison
Age: 21
Occupation: beauty college student
When disappeared: June 19, 1976
Where last seen: Denver
Cause of death: Unknown
Unusual circumstances: Her clothing and identification were found in an Adams County field but her body was never discovered.
Read Cold Cases blog profile on Rebecca Kellison’s case.
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Gayle Noelle Page
Age: 15
Occupation: unknown
When disappeared: Aug. 26, 1976
When found: Sept. 5, 1976
Where body found: near 100th Avenue and Highway 2, just west of the railroad tracks
Cause of death: Shot in head

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Kimberly Jean Grabin
Age: 16
Occupation: Run away
When disappeared: July 23, 1979
When found: Aug. 18, 1979
Where last seen: On Capitol Hill in Denver
Where body found: 1/4 mile S. of I-70 and E. of gun club rd.
Cause of death: Strangulation
Unusual circumstances: body found nude and posed with legs spread apart.
Read Cold Cases blog profile about Kimberly Grabin’s case.

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Linda Hutchings
Age: 17
Occupation: high school student
When disappeared: Aug. 15, 1979
When found: Sept. 1, 1979
Where last seen: Boyfriend’s Lakewood home
Where body found: Indiana and W. 82nd Ave.
Cause of death: Beaten
Unusual circumstances: body found nude

Read Cold Cases blog profile about Linda Hutchings’ case.

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Stephanie Ann Bauman
Age: 15
Occupation: Run away
When disappeared: Oct. 27, 1980
When found: Oct. 28, 1980
Where last seen: Aurora
Where body found: County Rd. 173 and U.S. 36
Cause of death: Hypothermia
Unusual circumstances: body found nude, posed with legs spread apart

Read Cold Cases blog profile about Stephanie Bauman’s case.

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Jeannie Moore
Age: 18
Occupation: Gas station attendant
When disappeared: Aug. 25, 1981
When found: Aug. 28, 1981
Where last seen: 48th Ave. and Harlan St.
Where body found: Genesee Park
Cause of death: Bludgeoned in head
Unusual circumstances: body found partially clothed

Read Cold Cases profile about Jeannie Moore case.

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Sabrina Judish
Age: 12
Occupation: Student at Adams Middle School
When disappeared: June 18, 1983
When found: May 18, 1984
Where last seen: 7515 Brighton Rd.
Where body found: E. 64th Ave. and Powhatton Rd.
Cause of death: Skeletonized, undetermined
Unusual circumstances: found wearing only t-shirt after she disappeared from YMCA summer camp

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Tracy Lynn Wooden
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
When disappeared: Aug. 11, 1985
When found: Aug. 12, 1985
Where last seen: Denver General Hospital
Where body found: Alley behind Fox Supply Co. at 2229 Blake St.
Cause of death: Strangled
Unusual circumstances: body found wearing only a blouse and bra pushed up over her breasts

Read Cold Cases blog profile of Tracy Wooden case.

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Lillian Olguin
Age: 27
Occupation: Unknown
When disappeared: Oct. 17, 1985
When found: Dec. 28, 1985
Where last seen: Denver
Where body found: Clear Creek in Adams County
Cause of death: undetermined, can’t rule out drowning
Unusual circumstances: body found nude
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Donna Sue Wayne
Age: 18
Occupation: High School student
When disappeared: June 13, 1986
When found: July 16, 1986
Where last seen: Shagnasties bar on 400 block of Havana in Aurora
Where body found: mile N. of Smith Rd., W. of Piccadilly Rd.
Cause of death: Strangled
Unusual condition: body fourn nude, posed with legs spread apart

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Karolyn Walker
Age: 18
Occupation: Worked at Domino’s pizza.
When disappeared: July 2, 1987
When found: July 5, 1987
Where last seen: boyfriend’s apartment at Mississippi and Navajo
Where body found: ditch near I-70 and Colfax Ave.
Cause of death: Strangle
Unusual circumstances: body found nude, posed with legs spread apart
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Shannon Rose MacLean
Age: 19
Occupation: unavailable
When disappeared: April 29, 1988
When found: July 17, 1988
Where last seen: 5200 block of East Yale
Where body found: Highway 285 and Surrey Rd.
Cause of death: Body too deteriorated to determine cause
Special Circumstances: She was hitchhiking and her body was found nude

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Jessica Arredondo
Age: 21
Occupation: U.S. West clerk
When disappeared: Nov. 25, 1988
When found: Nov. 26, 1988
Where last seen: E. 7th Ave. and Jackson St., Denver
Where body found: Along Highway 36 between Lyons and Estes Park
Cause of death: Beating, possibly leaped from car
Unusual circumstances: body found nude

Read Cold Cases profile on Jessica Arredondo’s case.

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Jessica Lynn Caudill
Age: 15
Occupation: run away high school student
When disappeared: March 13, 1990
When found: April 14, 1990
Where last seen: Father’s home in Tennessee
Where body found: N. side of Highway 58 near Boyd St. exit
Cause of death: Strangled
Unusual circumstances: Body found nude in prone position

Read Cold Cases blog about Jessica Caudill case.
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Lea Lobmeyer
Age: 30
Occupation: Call girl/College student
When disappeared: 2 a.m., July 22, 1992
When found: 5:30 a.m., July 22, 1992
Where last seen: 9240 W. 49th Ave.
Where body found: W. 42nd Avenue and Julian
Cause of death: Strangled
Special Circumstances: Partially nude, wearing blouse with brassiere pulled up above breasts.

Read Cold Cases blog about Lea Lobmeyer’s case.

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Jennifer Sue Larson
Age: 21
Occupation: Metro State College student
When disappeared: Aug. 10, 1995
When found: Oct. 4, 1995
Where last seen: 17300 block of E. Layton Dr., Aurora
Where body found: In a sunflower field 9 miles southeast of Strasburg
Cause of death: Undetermined

Read Cold Cases blog on Jennifer Larson’s case.
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Other women, mostly prostitutes found beginning in 1979. In several cases suspects have been identified. In one case suspect was convicted.

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Sheila Birl
Age: 19
Occupation: Prostitute
When disappeared: Oct. 23, 1979
When found: Oct. 25, 1979
Where last seen: 1480 Valentia, Denver
Where body found: Interstate-76 and Weld County Road 51 near Hudson
Cause of death: She was beaten in the head, official cause undetermined, possible overdose.
Unusual circumstances: Last seen by pimp in Denver. Body found nude.
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Cynthia Boyd
Age: 19
Occupation: Prostitute
When disappeared: unknown
When found: Feb. 21, 1980
Where last seen: 3830 Elizabeth, Denver
Where body found: 88th Avenue and Tower Road, near DIA
Cause of death: Strangled
Unusual circumstances: body was found nude with ligature marks on neck
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Name: Yvonne Rabb
Age: 29
Occupation: prostitute
When disappeared: Nov. 14, 1981
When found: Nov. 15, 1981
Where last seen: Five Points, Denver
Where body found: In ditch near Weld County Rds. 8 and 11
Cause of death: Shot in back of head with shotgun
Unusual circumstances: body found partially nude

Read Cold Cases blog on Yvonne Rabb case.

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Rhonda Fisher
Age: 30
Occupation: Seamstress/prostitute
When disappeared: Unavailable
When found: April 1, 1987
Where last seen: 1418 Adams St., Denver
Where body found: Perry Park Rd., Douglas County
Cause of death: Beaten/strangled, possibly with a small cord
Unusual circumstancs: found nude
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Faye Johnson
Age: 23
Occupation: Prostitution
When disappeared: Early Jan. 29, 1988
When found: Jan. 29, 1988
Where last seen: Colfax Avenue, Denver
Where body found: East 6th Ave. and Manilla Rd.
Cause of death: Strangulation
Unusual circumstances: body found nude. Last seen getting into stranger’s car. Suspected link to serial killer Vincent Groves
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Robin Nelson
Age: 25
Occupation:
When disappeared: June 8, 1988
When found: June 12, 1988
Where last seen: Denver
Where body found: Weld County, south of Weld County Rd. 8
Manor of death: possible cocaine overdose
Unusual circumstances: body found nude
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Lanell Williams
Age: 28
Occupation: prostitute
When disappeared: Oct. 12, 1989
When found: Oct. 14, 1989
Where last seen: Aurora
Where body found: Off Highway 6, about 9/10ths of mile W. of Highway 58
Manor of death: Strangled
Unusual circumstances: She was dressed in clothes she hadn’t been wearing when last seen by mother.

Read Cold Cases blog about Lanell Williams’ case.

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Lisa Kay Kelly
Age: 33
Occupation: prostitute
When disappeared: September 1988
When found: March 24, 1989
Where last seen: Aurora
Where body found: Clear Creek Canyon
Manor of death: Strangled

Read Cold Cases blog about Lisa Kay Kelly’s case.

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Sharon Kay Stone
Age: 46
Occupation: hotel maid
When disappeared:
When found: July 28, 1989
Where last seen: Colfax Ave in Denver
Where body found: Golden Gate Canyon Rd., ½ mile W. of Highway 93
Cause of death: Undetermined
Unusual circumstances: body was nude

Read Cold Cases blog about Sharon Stone’s case.

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Valerie Meeks
Age: 36
Occupation: Prostitute
When disappeared: July 3, 1991
When found: July 17, 1991
Where last seen: Aurora, along Colfax Avenue
Where body found: County roads 4 and 5, near Erie
Cause of death: Suffocated with plastic bag over head
Unusual circumstances: Her body was Nude

Read Cold Cases blog about Valerie Meeks’ case.