Case Description

File Number: 72-12286

The Victim: Deborah Lynn May, 19 years old, stabbed to death 9/19/72.

The Crime: Deborah May had recently relocated from Kansas City, Missouri to be with her boyfriend, a soldier stationed at Ft Carson.  Debbie, as her friends knew her, and her boyfriend shared an apartment in the 700 block of North Cascade Ave with two other couples.  On 9/19/72 by 6:15 a.m., all the residents of the apartment, including Debbie's boyfriend, had left for work. Debbie was still in bed at that time. She normally stayed in the apartment alone during the day.  There was no evidence that she left her apartment that fateful day. The doors to the apartment were normally left unlocked even if everyone was out.  

One of the residents came home for lunch that day but did not see Debbie.  She had assumed that Debbie was in her room and did not want to disturb her. She did get a glimpse of someone lying on the bed in one of the other resident's bedroom but did not investigate. She thought that it was one of the occupants of that room resting. At approx 4:45 p.m., one of the residents returning home from duty at Ft Carson found Debbie lying on that bed, she had been murdered, a victim of multiple stab wounds.

The Investigation: Detectives questioned numerous individuals who had any recent contact with Debbie or who had recently visited the apartment. The apartment was a popular place for friends to hang out. During the extensive investigative work, biological samples were collected from over a dozen individuals and numerous polygraphs were conducted.  Investigations led to a suspect who was a visitor at the apartment in the days preceding the homicide. An arrest was made but charges were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence.