– “Westminster Police cold-case solved after 48 years”
– “48-year-old Westminster Police cold-case finally resolved”.

Accident – death – Obituary News :

Police Solve Decades-Old Cold-Case Murder Using Genetic Genealogy

The Westminster Police Department has made a breakthrough in a nearly five-decade-old cold-case murder, using genetic genealogy to finally identify the killer. This development brings closure to the tragic case of 20-year-old Teree Becker, who was brutally murdered in 1975.

Unveiling the Killer’s Identity

Through extensive investigation and the utilization of genetic genealogy, authorities have identified Thomas Elliott as the murderer of Teree Becker. Elliott, who had a history of criminal activities and spent time in and out of the prison system, tragically took his own life in 1991.

Teree Becker, originally from Casper, Wyoming, had moved to the Denver area shortly after graduating high school. Her life was cut short on December 6, 1975, when her lifeless body was discovered in a field near 100th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard, just two days after she had attempted to hitchhike to visit her boyfriend in Adams County Jail in Brighton.

The autopsy revealed that Becker had been raped and died of asphyxiation, leaving her family devastated and desperate for answers.

A Breakthrough After Years of Investigation

The identification of Thomas Elliott as the killer marks the end of decades-long investigations carried out by multiple police departments. In 2003, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation managed to extract a piece of male DNA from evidence related to the rape incident.

Despite this crucial DNA evidence, investigators struggled to find a match until 2013 when a sample submitted by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, which was investigating a rape and murder case, provided a genetic match. Unfortunately, Las Vegas authorities were also unable to identify a suspect in their own case.

Five years later, in 2018, the case took a significant turn when it was submitted for genetic genealogy testing. This innovative method allowed investigators to analyze hereditary DNA and eventually led them to Thomas Elliott as a match for the heinous crimes.

In October 2023, Las Vegas police obtained permission to exhume Elliott’s body in order to gather further evidence for their case. Subsequently, a DNA comparison confirmed a match between Elliott’s DNA and the samples found at both crime scenes in Westminster and Las Vegas.

Bringing Closure to a Cold Case

The Westminster Police Department expressed their elation at finally solving this long-standing cold case and bringing closure to Teree Becker’s friends and family. The release from the police department stated, “We are thrilled we were able to solve this cold case and hopefully bring closure to the friends and family of Teree Becker.”

Teree Becker’s family remembers her as a friendly and outgoing individual who had a passion for painting and listening to music.

As of now, the Westminster Police Department has not responded to requests for additional comments regarding this remarkable breakthrough.

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1. “Westminster Police solves 48-year-old cold-case”
2. “Westminster Police cold-case solved after 48 years”.