The Unsettling History of Serial Killers in Colorado

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Colorful Colorado. The “purple mountains majesty” Katherine Lee Bates wrote about. Home of the adventurer, the brave, and the Broncos. The most beautiful playground in the U.S—maybe the world. Born and raised, so maybe I’m biased. Whatever the truth, nothing bad can happen in such a glorious space. Right? 

Unfortunately, heinous acts occur everywhere. Gone are the days where screen doors were once left open, ‘”in case anyone wants to pop by” – or leaving the house unlocked at night. You wouldn’t dare leave your keys in the ignition as you run in for groceries, nor let your kids roam free until dark. Big cities, small towns – it doesn’t matter where you are these days. Crime doesn’t discriminate. Even when it comes to gender.

Many find it difficult to believe women can be serial killers. And while it’s true most serial killers are male this is not exclusive. Colorado had a rather notorious serial killer in her midst back in the 1970’s, known as the Black Widow. Judy Buenoano, (a poor attempt at a Spanish translation of “Goodyear”) poisoned four victims, three of whom died. After having a baby as a teen, Judy married James Goodyear. Sadly, upon his return from Vietnam, Judy added poison to her husband’s daily “special vitamin C drink” and he died within four months. Luckily, the merry widow was able to collect her husband’s life insurance policy, and VA benefits. 

Next, Judy set her sights on Bobby Morris, a Colorado resident. To her credit, Judy seemed to find happiness with Morris—for a few years. Apparently confident after getting away with one murder, Judy dipped back into the same well, poisoning Morris to death. And just as fast, cashed in on his life insurance policy. Killing, as it turned out, was a surprisingly lucrative way to make a living. 

Judy’s next victim was her own son, who lost the use of his legs due to arsenic poisoning. He drowned when Judy threw him off a boat, watching as he sunk to his death. Her fourth victim, fiancé John Gentry, was persuaded to make Judy the beneficiary of a large life insurance policy, while feeding him poison. But when he refused to die, Judy (possibly feeling a bit put out) became impatient and tried to blow Gentry up in his car. Luckily Gentry proved surprisingly resilient, and survived the car bomb. To this day, he is the only known survivor of Buenoano. Judy was executed in 1998 by (not lethal injection, which would have been too ironic) electrocution. 

Colorado’s law enforcement history has a couple of “what were you thinking?” moments, when it comes to serial killers. Scott Lee Kimball is one of those “oops!” scenarios the FBI would rather not recall. Kimball, who was in prison for check fraud, was released early to become an FBI informant (despite having escaped from a Montana prison). Under public supervision, Kimball began his life as a snitch for the feds. During his down time, however, Kimball honed a second skill—murdering young women and dumping their bodies in the nearby mountains. His first victim, LeAnn Emry, was on her way to Mexico to go spelunking when Kimball attacked. He says he only shot her twice in the back, and killed her, because she was trying to get away from him (ponder that logic for a moment). About two weeks later, Kimball claimed that no, in fact he wasn’t the one who shot Jennifer Marcum—but he did give her a lethal dose of heroin. Most disturbingly, after killing his third victim (nineteen-year-old Kaysi McLeod), he married her living mother, honeymooning not far from where he’d dumped Kaysi’s body. His final victim was his own uncle. Currently serving a 70-year sentence, Kimball—who egotistically gave himself the nickname “Hannibal”—claims there are more bodies; however, law enforcement has not been able to tie him to any other murders. 

Another snafu occurred when infamous serial killer Ted Bundy was arrested and tried in Colorado, for the murder of nurse Caryn Campbell in Aspen. While on trial (and representing himself), Bundy was granted a request by the judge to use the law library in the courthouse, during a recess. When law enforcement went to retrieve Bundy, they found the library empty and the window open. Perhaps they believed, oh so foolishly, that since the library was on the second floor Bundy wouldn’t jump. It took six days to recapture Bundy and return him to the Glenwood Springs jail. However, apparently not happy with Colorado hospitality (or maybe it was the cold winters?) Bundy used his down time to carve a hole in the ceiling of his cell. Once big enough to get through, Bundy climbed out, dropped onto the onsite apartment of the head jailer, stole some clothes, and effortlessly walked out the front door. From there Bundy ran to Florida, murdered more young women until he was captured, tried, and convicted. Bundy was executed in 1989, claiming he murdered 28 people; however, he is suspected of murdering hundreds.

The most recent serial killer in Colorado, and perhaps even more notorious, is Chris Watts. This case is as disturbing as it is sickening – making Watts one of the most repugnant serial killers alive. And yet (like Bundy) he is very popular among women, who write him racy love letters while he sits in prison for murdering four people he supposedly loved. On the early morning of August 18, 2018, while lying in bed, Watts straddled his pregnant wife, Shannan, placed his hands around her throat, and squeezed the life out of her—and their unborn son, Nico. He then loaded his wife into his pickup truck, gathered his two daughters, Bella (4) and Cece (3) and drove them to a remote oil storage site. Once there, he suffocated Cece with a blanket as her older sister watched, knowing what fate awaited her. Watts dumped Cece’s body into a large oil tank and returned to the truck. Placing the same blanket over Bella’s head, the last words she said to her father were, “Daddy, no!” Bella’s body was found in another tank. Watts buried his wife in the field. After a neighbor’s security camera caught Watts placing Shannan’s body into his truck, Watts pleaded guilty to the murders—the only respectful thing he did. He received five life sentences (three consecutive, two concurrent) without the possibility of parole, along with forty-eight years for unlawfully terminating a pregnancy, and thirty-six years for tampering with deceased bodies. 

So, come! Enjoy the beauty of Colorado! Ski down first-rate slopes, breathe in crisp clean mountain air. Revel in the simplicity of nature and soak up the atmosphere. Nothing bad can happen is such a spiritual place. 

Just don’t scratch the surface—you might just uncover a body or two.

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