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September 21
May 2
March 24
March 23
Homeless feel betrayed by verdict
March 19
March 17
March 16
March 14
December 10
November 28
Jeffrey John Hubert: Time slips away on streets
Beat on street among Denver's homeless is one of fear, defiance
Richard Steinmetz: Wary life among the 'clowns'
John Bryant & Katherine Livingston: Manhole cover for a bed
Keith Williams: Scars of street life
November 26
November 25
November 23
Murder suspect, 16, put in adult jail
LoDo not paralyzed by murders
November 22
Homeless shelters fill fast
November 21
LoDo rebirth disrupts street life rhythms
November 20
November 19
FBI profilers may help solve murders
Death takes many forms for homeless
'We have nothing to be afraid of'
November 18
New killings spread fear in homeless
November 15
November 12
November 10
November 7
November 5
October 31
Men felt lure of streets
October 30
October 29
October 28
Police ponder connections in four downtown slayings
October 27
October 24
October 9
October 7
September 30
September 18
September 9
Holiday no day off for detectives investigating recent slayings of seven men in lower downtown
By Lynn BartelsDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
Homicide's not taking a holiday. Denver homicide Sgt. Jon Priest and his detectives are at work today, following up leads on seven homeless slayings. "There is no Thanksgiving here," he said. So far, police have received more than 200 phone calls to their homeless tip hot line that have yielded more than 100 leads. They also continue to interview transients. "We have been talking to several homeless individuals that have information," Priest said. "How good it is, is yet to be seen. We're not close to an arrest or a suspect on any other case at this point." Police have made three arrests in one of the slayings. A task force and the FBI are looking into the others. Priest has repeatedly cautioned against assuming the seven slayings are the work of one individual or group. "I would be remiss if I didn't look at them as being linked," he said. "However, I can't afford to have such tunnel vision that I don't look at them independently." What the victims do have in common, he said, is that they were homeless and were beaten to death. One person or group may be responsible for the deaths of the first two victims, George Worth, 62, and Donald Dyer, 51. The drinking buddies were found together under a bridge in the 2400 block of Blake Street on Sept. 7. Dyer's friend, Earl Klingensmith of northwest Denver, said detectives told him it appeared Worth had tried to defend Dyer. There is also a connection between the deaths of the latest victims. The bodies of Joe Mendoza, 50, and Harry Redden, 46, were found Nov. 10 in a field behind Union Station. Both had been beheaded. The bodies of all the victims were found within a one-mile radius. Police have arrested three young homeless people in connection with the beating death of Melvin Washington, 47, who died Sept. 15. At the time the youths were charged, police said they did not have any evidence linking the trio to the other deaths. One defendant, Thomas Holden, 18, admitted being present when Washington was beaten and also during the beatings of two other homeless men who survived their attacks, court records show. Holden did mention the other fatal attacks, the records show. Also charged in Washington's death is Nathan Harrison, 20, and Christopher Ball, 16. Police also are investigating the death of Milo Harris, 51, whose body was found in the South Platte River on Sept. 26, and of Kenneth Rapp, 42, found Oct. 22 in a field near Lipan and 19th streets. Dozens of officers are investigating and a $100,000 reward has been offered. "The street officers, the people who deal with these people on a daily basis, really deserve a lot of the credit," Priest said. "They continue to bring us new information and help us eliminate poor information. These guys are just amazing. Without them we wouldn't be able to function." Anyone with information on the slayings can call the hot line, (303) 640-6627; Crime-stoppers, (303) 640-4422; or the homicide unit, (303) 640-3541. Librarian Carol Kasel contributed to this report. November 25, 1999
Homicide's not taking a holiday.
Denver homicide Sgt. Jon Priest and his detectives are at work today, following up leads on seven homeless slayings.
"There is no Thanksgiving here," he said.
So far, police have received more than 200 phone calls to their homeless tip hot line that have yielded more than 100 leads.
They also continue to interview transients.
"We have been talking to several homeless individuals that have information," Priest said. "How good it is, is yet to be seen. We're not close to an arrest or a suspect on any other case at this point."
Police have made three arrests in one of the slayings. A task force and the FBI are looking into the others.
Priest has repeatedly cautioned against assuming the seven slayings are the work of one individual or group.
"I would be remiss if I didn't look at them as being linked," he said. "However, I can't afford to have such tunnel vision that I don't look at them independently."
What the victims do have in common, he said, is that they were homeless and were beaten to death.
One person or group may be responsible for the deaths of the first two victims, George Worth, 62, and Donald Dyer, 51. The drinking buddies were found together under a bridge in the 2400 block of Blake Street on Sept. 7.
Dyer's friend, Earl Klingensmith of northwest Denver, said detectives told him it appeared Worth had tried to defend Dyer.
There is also a connection between the deaths of the latest victims. The bodies of Joe Mendoza, 50, and Harry Redden, 46, were found Nov. 10 in a field behind Union Station. Both had been beheaded.
The bodies of all the victims were found within a one-mile radius.
Police have arrested three young homeless people in connection with the beating death of Melvin Washington, 47, who died Sept. 15. At the time the youths were charged, police said they did not have any evidence linking the trio to the other deaths.
One defendant, Thomas Holden, 18, admitted being present when Washington was beaten and also during the beatings of two other homeless men who survived their attacks, court records show.
Holden did mention the other fatal attacks, the records show.
Also charged in Washington's death is Nathan Harrison, 20, and Christopher Ball, 16.
Police also are investigating the death of Milo Harris, 51, whose body was found in the South Platte River on Sept. 26, and of Kenneth Rapp, 42, found Oct. 22 in a field near Lipan and 19th streets.
Dozens of officers are investigating and a $100,000 reward has been offered.
"The street officers, the people who deal with these people on a daily basis, really deserve a lot of the credit," Priest said.
"They continue to bring us new information and help us eliminate poor information. These guys are just amazing. Without them we wouldn't be able to function."
Anyone with information on the slayings can call the hot line, (303) 640-6627; Crime-stoppers, (303) 640-4422; or the homicide unit, (303) 640-3541.
Librarian Carol Kasel contributed to this report.
November 25, 1999
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