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Chaffee County Investigators Identify Suspect In Cold Case

By Matt Kroschel

SALIDA, Colo. (CBS4) - Authorities have announced a major development in the cold case disappearance of Beverly England.

CBS4 has learned the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office has a suspect they believe is responsible for England's murder.

SALIDA COLD CASE beverly England
Beverly England (credit: CBS)

Sheriff John Speeze confirmed the suspect has been identified but are not releasing that person's name. He did say the suspect lives in the San Luis Valley.

Speeze says they have also discovered a vehicle that possibly holds key DNA evidence linking their suspect to the murder decades ago.

The cold case became active last year when DNA proved bones found years ago in a mountainous area were in fact those of the missing woman from Salida.

England was last seen in 1980. Her husband reported her missing after the 32-year-old failed to return home.

Her husband was publicly cleared in the case.

Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.

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