Golden bridge where Adolph Coors III's missing car was found. With all of the positive attributes of the state, Colorado is also the location of some of the most notorious murders and serial killers in U.S. And even world history. Murder and Escapes of Serial Killer Ted Bundy.
Recommended For YouMichael Roberts
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Update below: The Denver District Attorney's Office has announced that it's solved four cold cases: the murders of a quartet of women between 1979 and 1988.
The slayer: Vincent Groves, who may be the most prolific serial killer in the state's history.
Groves, who died in prison circa 1996, was convicted of three killings before he breathed his last. Now, thanks to the Denver Police Department's cold case review team, which received federal funding in 2010 to review 250 unsolved homicides between 1970 and 1984, DNA evidence has provided post-mortem evidence of Groves's guilt in the deaths of Emma Jenefor, 25, found dead in her bathtub in March 1979; Joyce Ramey, 23, whose body was discovered in an industrial park that July; Peggy Cuff, twenty, located in an alley in November of that year; and Pamela Montgomery, recovered from a different alley in August 1988.
That makes seven murders definitively associated with Groves. But this sum may be only the beginning of his lethal activities.
A study entitled 'A History of Law Enforcement in Douglas County, 1858 to 2007,' maintains that Groves was linked to the murders of seventeen prostitutes. And while a 1990 Rocky Mountain News article republished on Groves's Murderpedia entry doesn't confirm that number, it comes close, referencing fifteen homicides to which Groves had been connected between 1978 and 1988. According to reporter Mark Brown, the string of murders was interrupted for five years -- a span during which Groves was behind bars for a 1981 murder. And they didn't stop again until he was arrested in September 1988 -- the year when two more victims, Juanita Lovato, nineteen, and Diann Mancera, 25, turned up dead. His typical M.O.: He would pick up a woman (perhaps a prostitute, maybe an acquaintance), strangle her, and dump her body.
Here's the other thirteen women on the Rocky's list, supplemented by Brown's description about the likelihood of charges against Groves in relation to the slayings.
* Rhonda Fisher, 30 -- Found in April 1987 in Douglas County. Investigation continuing, but no charges imminent.
* Pamela Montgomery, 35, Denver -- Found Aug. 14, 1988, in a Denver alley. No charges expected.
* Carolyn Buchanan, 35 -- Found Aug. 12, 1988, in rural Denver. No charges expected.
* Joyce Ramey, 23, of Denver -- Found July 4, 1979, in a field east of Stapleton International Airport. Charges unlikely.
* Faye Johnson, 22, of Denver -- Found in Arapahoe County on Jan. 30, 1988. Charges unlikely.
* Jeanette Baca, 17, of Denver -- Found June 11, 1978, in Jefferson County. Charges unlikely.
* Zabra Mason, 19, of Lakewood -- Found September 1987 in Lakewood. No charges to come.
* Robin Nelson, 25, of Denver -- Found in June 12, 1988, in Fort Lupton. Turned out to be an accidental overdose with no connection to Groves.
* Karolyn Walker, 18, of Aurora -- Found July 5, 1987, in Aurora. Groves was initially a suspect, but later was cleared.
* Juanita Mitchell, 25, of Waco, Texas -- Found in April 1981 in an Aurora motel room. No charges likely.
* Pamela Morgan, 17, of Denver -- Found June 2, 1981, in an Aurora motel room. No charges likely. Morgan's and Mitchell's deaths were initially linked by Aurora police.
* Norma Jean Halford, 21, of San Jose -- Body never found; car abandoned in Clear Creek County in August 1979.
* Cynthia Boyd, 19, of Denver -- Found in Feb. 1980 in Adams County. No charges filed; case still open.
Shockingly, only two of the cases just closed -- Montgomery's and Ramey's -- appear on here; there's no reference to either Jenefor or Cuff.
The Rocky report kicks off with details about Montgomery. But while the killer was seen in that crime, the witness was unable to positively identify him. Thus, Brown wrote that Groves 'will probably never be charged with that death' -- and he was right. However, Montgomery's murder has now been added to his gruesome roster.
Update 11:22 a.m. March 7: Moments ago, we spoke to Denver District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough to get more of a sense about the lethality of Vincent Groves. She quotes Denver DA Mitch Morrissey as estimating that the total number of victims could be 'as high as 24... I've heard Mitch say he could be Colorado's most prolific serial killer.'
Right now, detectives in the Denver Police Department, as well as investigators in other metro areas, are actively trying to connect Groves to more unsolved homicides that took place between the late '70s and late '80s, and Kimbrough expects some of them will succeed in much the same way DPD staffers did when they were able to close the cases of Jenefor, Ramey, Cuff and Montgomery. But even with technology that's infinitely better than during Groves's prime killing years, there's no guarantee every murder he committed can be taken off the books.
'Part of the problem is that not all of the unsolved homicides may have biological evidence or DNA evidence,' Kimbrough says. 'So we want to strike a balance when it comes to holding out hope for some families that still have a loved one who is a victim of an unsolved homicide. We would not want to offer false hope to people who are still waiting for answers. But at the same time, what Mr. Groves did was so prolific. He was indeed a serial killer.
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'Are there some other unsolved homicides that might be attributed to Mr. Groves?' she asks. 'And will we be able to say that definitively? Without biological evidence in every case, it may be very difficult to give definitive answers to to every family. But we're doing our best.'
Look below to take a larger look at a Groves mug shot circa 1995, a year before he died.
Follow and like the Michael Roberts/Westword Facebook page.
More from our Colorado Crimes archive: 'Colorado's cold case backlog: 1,518 murders still unsolved.'
Trending NewsPowered by SailThruThe Top Ten1Jeffrey DahmerJeffrey Lionel Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal, was an American serial killer and sex offender, who committed the rape, murder, and dismemberment of seventeen men and boys between 1978 and 1991, with many of his later murders also involving necrophilia, cannibalism, and the permanent preservation ...read more.He is the most sick and twisted American serial killer that there is. Period. He felt what it was like to be murdered after murdering a bunch of people - TheAwesomeDude54 I think this Guy was seriously messed up from a very young age. I think he had some sort of mental disorder & needed serious help. However I believe he was sane in the sense that he knew right from wrong. But just didn't care about his victims. He selfishly put his sick fantasies first instead of suppressing his sick urges or seeking medical help from a psychiatrist. He chose to murder innocent people & do the most sick, grotesque things with there bodies, treating them with no respect at all. Maybe things could of been different if he got psychiatric help at a young age. He was the most gruesome murderer in recent history. He was much more dangerous than Charles Manson. IN my opinion Jeffery Dahmer is the most notorious serial killer in all of the 20th century.2Ted BundyTheodore Robert Bundy was an American serial killer, kidnapper, rapist, and necrophiliac who assaulted and murdered numerous young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier. There is no way Jeffery Dhamer is #1, that #1 spot belongs to Ted Bundy. My teacher was actually kidnapped by ted bundy. He pulled up in a nice car and asked her if she needed a ride some where. Probably the last person you would've thought was a serial killer. The term 'serial killer' was first used to describe HIM! And because of him, there are more serial killers. - SelfDestruct3The Zodiac KillerThe Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was unknown. Even decades after killing they are still trying to figure out who he is. (Killed mostly in San Francisco He had to have been the worst. being that he was never caught and taunted the police while doing it! The Zodiac should be number 1; he taunted police, changed his methods, and was never caught. He was one serial killer that was never caught nor identified. Jack the Ripper was the other, although he was actually in England.4Charles MansonCharles Milles Manson (1934-2017) was an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in the California desert in the late 1960s. Like most of the people on this list, Charles Manson had a DAMAGED childhood. Most SERIAL KILLERS (remember, he never actually killed anyone) either suffer through a traumatic event or have a traumatic childhood. This does not make his actions any less horrific; however, I truly believe that if he had a different childhood, one where he was not emotionally damaged, then he probably would not have conspired to murder. It doesn't make him a serial killer # 1! He didn't do it he might have planned it but didn't do it like you plan to fix a car but you pay the mechanic to do it he doesn't pay U. So the shooter should be #1! He didn't really kill anybody. He wasn't really a killer actually. He was more of a manipulative kind of guy. It's hard to say what makes a person a top serial killer, but if you have to pick one, I'd say the most famous of the bunch is a safe bet.5Albert FishHamilton Howard 'Albert' Fish was an American serial killer. He was also known as the Gray Man, the Werewolf of Wysteria, the Brooklyn Vampire, the Moon Maniac, and The Boogey Man. He was a pedophile who killed and ate innocent children. How disgusting. He is, in my opinion, the worst serial killer that ever lived. Or at least one of them. Burn in the flames of hell, Vampire of Brooklyn! Look this guy up and tell me you're not sick to your stomach The worst of all time He still gives me nightmares. What a horrific monster6Richard RamirezRicardo Leyva Muñoz Ramírez, known as Richard Ramirez, widely known as the Night Stalker, was an American serial killer, rapist, and burglar. ...read more. The Night Stalker was one of the most demonic serial killers in America. He thought the Devil was his protector but little does he know the Devil is no one's protector, no one's friend. He tortures the wicked for their entire afterlife. See you in Disneyland. He literally lashed an old woman's head off7John Wayne GacyJohn Wayne Gacy, Jr., also known as the Killer Clown, was an American serial killer and rapist who sexually assaulted and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978 in Cook County, Illinois. Look at the crime scene photos then vote he's gotta be in the top 3 at least JWG was beyond sick and barbaric, and the sheer numbers is mind boggling! Kept the bodies of his victims under his house. They called him the killer clown..8Ed GeinEdward Theodore Gein, also known as The Butcher of Plainfield, was an American murderer and body snatcher. He just killed 2 people, and still, remains as the legendary killer who inspired Norman Bates, Hannibal Lecter and Leatherface. He made human skin as his furniture. He should be #1 on this list. Smart enough to have different people build different parts of the house at different times for his hidden corridors. #1! He was also based on slayers dead skin mask very good song but very evil man9H.H. HolmesHerman Webster Mudgett (1861-1896), better known as Dr. Henry Howard Holmes or, more commonly, as H. H. Holmes, was an American serial killer. While he confessed to 27 murders, only nine could be plausibly confirmed and several of the people he claimed to have murdered were still alive. He is said to ...read more. So if he killed 200 people a serial killer isn't about how much people you killed but what you do to the people think about it this way he may have killed 200 people but he is giving the organs away which can help people who need fresh organs. You can learn all about him by reading Erik Larson's 'The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America'. - Blue_Devereaux He built a whole murder hotel, and had a lot of people killed in it through several different methods and then sold the skeletons. He owned the first hotel, killed everyone in it, and sold the dead bodies organs.10Gary RidgwayGary Leon Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer, is an American serial killer. He was initially convicted of 48 separate murders. The dude even passed a lie detector test since he felt no guilt he wasn't gonna be called a liar. Killed for a long period and the exact number of victims is still unknown. They are still finding bodies in the Seattle area plus he was a necro - GROSS! This guy is so sick He killed more people than most other serial killers combined. Surely the mere scale of death and suffering he caused would rank him higher than Ted Bundy and Jeffery Damer The Contenders11Richard KuklinskiDude should be higher on the list was a hit man maybe not as sick and sadistic like the rest on the list but he was a cold blooded killer!12Dennis RaderDennis Lynn Rader is an American serial killer who murdered ten people in Sedgwick County, between 1974 and 1991. knew exactly what he was doing, hid in plain sight. hunted victims constantly while getting paid at work. caught himself. extremely sadistic. rader is the man This guy had a never ending story - Sabbath13The Boston Strangler He was murdered in prison by a fellow inmate. Killed 13 woman in Boston...14Leonard Lake and Charles Ng Nobody realizes when any brings to the friendship. The video tapes are scary They are the worst pair I have ever seen15David BerkowitzDavid Richard Berkowitz, also known as the Son of Sam and the .44 Caliber Killer, is an American serial killer convicted of a series of shooting attacks that began in New York City in the summer of 1976, perpetrated with a .44 caliber Bulldog revolver. His adoptive mother told him that his real mother died during child birth. When he met his real mother and found out the truth, he started having a deep hatred for women. Called himself the 'Son of Sam' Joquin The Joker...hehehehe.16Herb BaumeisterHerbert Richard 'Herb' Baumeister was an American alleged serial killer from Westfield near Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a very sick person I feel sorry for all the people he murdered.17Richard SpeckRichard Benjamin Speck was an American mass murderer who systematically tortured, raped, and murdered eight student nurses from South Chicago Community Hospital on July 14, 1966. Creepy and killed 8 student nurses!19Charles 'Tex' Watson One of Charles Manson's male followers and a complete and total Sicko! He looks like Spock - DoroExploro1320Aileen WuornosAileen Carol Wuornos was an American serial killer who killed seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. Wuornos claimed that her victims had either raped or attempted to rape her while she was working as a prostitute, and that all of the homicides were committed in self-defense. She was a homosexual prostitute who killed her johns, or men, if you prefer to say. I know why she's evil. She had a tragic life. - TeamRocket747 Sick and twisted Dude you think she is sick and twisted? her father was worse. Aileen's father attempted to rape a kid the same year she was born. Her father hung himself in prison. She lived a terrible life that nobody deserves. She was raped by her grandfather's friend kicked out of there house. Aileen's mother abandoned her and her brother when she was only 4 years old. At least Aileen when't after full grown people instead of going after kids. Her dad was more twisted. Every serial killer has live a very effed up life.
21Edmund KemperEdmund Emil Kemper III, also known as The Co-ed Killer or The Co-ed Butcher, is an American serial killer, rapist, necrophile and cannibal who is known for having abducted and murdered several women in the early 1970s in Santa Cruz, as well as having murdered both of his paternal grandparents and his ...read more.
22Wayne WilliamsWayne Bertram Williams is an American serial killer who was tried, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1982 for killing two adult men.
This guy was sick23Carl PanzramCarl Panzram was an American serial killer, rapist, arsonist, robber and burglar. In prison confessions and his autobiography, he claimed to have committed 21 murders, most of which could not be corroborated, and over 1,000 sodomies of boys and men. This guy, just read his damn quotes. This guy is sick and disgusting24The Briley Brothers As senseless as senseless could be. Devils on two legs...25David Parker RayDavid Parker Ray, also known as the 'Toy-Box Killer', was a suspected American serial killer and known torturer of women. This guy is, without a doubt, one of the worst serial killers that ever lived. Also called the 'Toy Box Killer', he had his own torture room inside his trailer, where he drugged and raped women for his own pleasure. He even recorded himself telling the women what he was going to do before doing it. This guy pure psycho. So SICK!26Dean CorllDean Arnold Corll was an American serial killer who abducted, raped, tortured, and murdered a minimum of 28 boys in a series of killings spanning from 1970 to 1973 in Houston, Texas. At least 28 boys, most likely more. He enlisted 2 accomplices from among potential victims. This guy shouldn't be at 65. He was seriously evil. Born in my hometown in Fort Wayne, Indiana - westofohio
27Walter E. EllisWalter E. Ellis, also known as the Milwaukee North Side Strangler, was an American serial killer who raped and strangled seven women in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin between 1986 and 2007.
28Charles StarkweatherCharles Raymond 'Charlie' Starkweather was an American teenaged spree killer who murdered eleven people in the states of Nebraska and Wyoming in a two-month murder spree between December 1957 and January 1958. All but one of Starkweather's victims were killed between January 21 and January 29, 1958, ...read more.
A complete monster29Donald Henry Gaskins Should be way higher. This guy was a P U R E sicko. Do some research and you'll know what I'm talking about.
30Jerry BrudosJerome Henry 'Jerry' Brudos was an American serial killer and necrophiliac, also known as 'The Lust Killer' and 'The Shoe Fetish Slayer'.
31Carl Eugene WattsCarl Eugene Watts, also known by his nickname Coral, was an American serial killer dubbed 'The Sunday Morning Slasher'.
He probably killed over 100 because, sometimes more than 1 a day!33The Chicago Rippers I was walking down a street in Chicago I saw the Chicago Rippers trying to kill me, but I beat all of them and escaped. I could have died.34John Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo Called themselves God but are anything but God. God doesn't murder innocent people, he's love. They're just two pathetic people who needed murder to feel powerful. He is sick and he should have been killed quicker
36Thomas Dillon
37Kendall FrancoisKendall Francois was an American serial killer from Poughkeepsie, New York, convicted of killing eight women, from 1996 to 1998. He was serving life in prison for his crimes at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, New York, until his death.
38Robert Lee YatesRobert Lee Yates, Jr. is an American serial killer from Spokane, Washington. From 1996 to 1998, Yates is known to have murdered at least 13 women, all of whom were prostitutes working on Spokane's 'Skid Row'.
Serial killer of prostitutes...arrested in Spokane, WA.39Danny RollingDaniel Harold 'Danny' Rolling, also known as the Gainesville Ripper, was an American serial killer who murdered five students in Gainesville, Florida. The Scream franchise is based on him.
40Dorothea PuenteDorothea Helen Puente was a convicted American serial killer. In the 1980s, Puente ran a boarding house in Sacramento, California, and cashed the Social Security checks of her elderly and mentally disabled boarders.
41Velma BarfieldMargie Velma Barfield was an American serial killer, convicted of one murder, but she eventually confessed to six murders.
43Jane Toppan
Known as the Angel of Death, she murdered at least 31 victims that were placed in her care. Like H.H. holmes, she murdered without a conscience. However, unlike most Serial Killers, she inherited her murderous nature. She was a bad seed.
44Marie NoeMarie Noe is an American serial killer. She was convicted in June 1999 of murdering eight of her children.
45Anthony SowellAnthony Edward Sowell is an American serial killer, identified in press reports as the Cleveland Strangler.
46Kenneth McDuffKenneth Allen McDuff was an American serial killer. He was convicted of murdering sixteen-year-old Edna Sullivan; her boyfriend, seventeen-year-old Robert Brand; and Robert’s cousin, fifteen-year-old Mark Dunnam, who was visiting from California.
47Faryion WardripFaryion Edward Wardrip is an American serial killer who murdered five women in Wichita Falls, Texas, and the surrounding counties from 1984 to 1986.
48Paul Dennis ReidPaul Dennis Reid, Jr., also known as The Fast Food Killer, was an American serial killer, convicted and sentenced to death for seven murders during three fast food restaurant robberies in Metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee and Clarksville, Tennessee between the months of February and April 1997. At the ...read more.
50Doug Clark and Carol Bundy
They turned on each other like the sick animals they were. Serves them right. Related ListsTop Ten Cross Country American Serial KillersTop Ten Unidentified American Serial Killer CasesTop Ten Underrated American Serial KillersTop Ten American Cities With More Than One Serial KillerTop Ten Most Recognizable American Serial KillersList StatsTop Remixes (4)
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