Gilpin County Coroner Zane Laubhan is looking for the remains of a 1952 murder. He has been to many cemeteries looking for the bones, and he would like someone to contact him if they know where the bones have been buried.
A female homicide victim was found on September 30, 1952, in Gilpin County, under a log used as a funeral pyre. Estimated date of death was up to 30 days.
Items found with the victim included, but not limited to fragments of sequin cloth from a turquoise blouse, metal rivets from blue jeans, a purse, a small electric razor, three empty lipstick containers, rhinestone necklace and earrings, a Denver tramway token and a man’s ring with no setting. The estimated age is 17-30 years old, estimated height is about five feet, seven inches to five feet, nine inches.
Pyre Case refers to the discovery of a young woman whose body was found burned in Black Hawk, Colorado, in 1952. Her cause of death and identity remains unknown. On September 30, 1952, a man on a hunting trip discovered the burned body of a woman under a large log.
It was determined that the body had been there for several weeks. The autopsy revealed that the woman was struck in the head with a blunt object, but it could not be determined if this was her cause of death or the fire. After creating a facial reconstruction, detectives began referring to her as Jane Doe as Maria.
It has been nearly 70 years without the woman’s identity, but hopefully with the new DNA technology, she will be given her identity back and her case can soon be closed. Even thought the bones were burned, it is possible to obtain DNA. Dory Hill was chosen to facilitate entry to find a grave, as it is the closest to where she was found.
Laubhan said a rumor placed the bones in a cardboard box that kicked around the courthouse for a while, and then they disappeared.
Laubhan said they got the record from Black Hawk, and they have walked through all the cemeteries. They don’t know who is there. They have no records to indicate the time frames. They came up with nothing.
“We put the bones on Three Hills. It would be impossible, whoever buried them, someone had to know where those remains were buried,” Laubhan said. They checked Bald Mountain and Denver.
Bob Enney with the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Department has been helping with the investigation. He said they have found a recent file they need to dig into.
Without knowing if they dig up remains, they have to get an order from the court and City of Black Hawk. Someone in the county had to know.
If someone in the County comes forward, call 303-435-7061 of the Gilpin County Sheriff's Office at 303-528-1060.
