Investigators Release Video Of Suspect Vehicles In Northern Colorado Shootings
LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4)- Investigators released videos showing suspect vehicles during an update Tuesday into the unsolved shootings in Northern Colorado between April 22 and June 3, 2015 and clarified which shootings are connected.
Larimer County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer and spokesman for the Northern Colorado Shooting Task Force David Moore released video surveillance of two suspect vehicles wanted in four of the shootings.
"Shootings number one and two are linked by forensic evidence, three and four are linked by forensic evidence, five and six are linked by forensic evidence, but the three pairs are not linked together," said Moore.
Those shootings include:
- On April 22, approximately 11:15 p.m., Cori Romero reported she had been involved in a traffic accident as she was merging onto southbound Interstate 25 from Harmony Road in Larimer County. It was later determined that Ms. Romero had been shot in the neck with a firearm while she was driving.
- On May 18, approximately 10:15 a.m., John Jacoby was shot and killed while riding his bicycle near the intersection of Weld County Road 15 and Weld County Road 72 in Windsor.
- On June 3, approximately 10:30 pm, a person was shot at while riding a motorcycle near the intersection of Denver Drive and East 18th Street in Loveland. The person was not injured.
- On June 3, 2015, at approximately 10:45 p.m., William Connole was shot and killed while standing at the intersection of East 1st Street and North St. Louis Avenue in Loveland. (RELATED: Random Shooting Victim's Sister Satisfied With Task Force's Effort)
In the June 3 shootings, police shared surveillance video of the orange Chevy or GMC pickup truck, considered a suspect vehicle. Although the task force shared the information about the truck last year, on Tuesday new information about the truck was released. The truck model years have been expanded from 1973-1987.
"Decision to expand model years is based on continued modification and review of intelligence as well as eye witness accounts," said Moore.
There were two other shootings Sept. 13, 2015 at Banner Health Facility and Cottonwood Plains Elementary School. No one was hurt in those shootings but Moore said the forensic evidence links those two shootings.
"A suspect vehicle has been identified in the Banner Health case as a black over red 2-door Mini Cooper between the years 2002 and 2007," said Moore.
"What makes them similar is they are all random, what makes them similar to us, with the information that we have today, no one in shooting one or two knew each other, no one in shootings three and four knew each other, no one in shootings five or six," said Larimer County Sheriff Cpt. Robert Coleman with the Investigations Division. "What the commonality is, is that they are random and they are at people. And their intent, at least from what we're able to observe from the case so far is they are shooting into vehicles or at people with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or death."
A task force was formed to take on the investigation into the shootings. Since that time the task force has received more than 5,100 tips from the public, has followed up on more than 1,800 vehicles, the task force has conducted more than 1,000 interviews. The task force has also interviewed and eliminated 12 persons of interest.
"Some of those tips have been specific to the orange pickup truck while others involve potential persons of interest," said Moore. "Please do not assume that the information you have has already been reported to the task force, if you have information please report it immediately."
Those investigators continue to monitor reports of shattered vehicle windows but there is no physical or forensic evidence recovered to indicate those cases are related to the other shootings in Northern Colorado.
The task force includes personnel from the following: Larimer County Sheriff's Office, Windsor Police Department, Weld County Sheriff's Office, Larimer County District Attorney's Office, FBI, ATF, Loveland Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, Fort Collins Police, Greeley Police Department, Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Additional Information From The Task Force
Authorities would like anyone with any information to call the Task Force Tip Line at 970.498.5595 or via email. If you see this vehicle moving and/or occupied, please immediately call 911 so local law enforcement can respond and follow all the directions of the emergency dispatcher. If you can do so safely, please gather as much information about the vehicle to include license plate state and number, distinguishing characteristics of the vehicle, description of the occupant(s), and/or a photograph.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation continues to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for any of these crimes.
