Colorado Woman From 1993 Cold Case Identified Thanks To DNA

ACROSS COLORADO—A young woman whose body was found nearly three decades ago near a makeshift camp in the forest of Douglas County has finally been identified, deputies announced Thursday.

“After all of this time, there is now a family that we know that this girl belonged to. She is someone. She is no longer our Jane Doe. Thank God for that," Douglas County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Holly Nicholson-Kluth said during a news conference. "As a new detective in 1993, I had no idea that this case would haunt me for 27 years."

In June 1993, the body of an unidentified white woman was found near the Rainbow Falls campground in the Pike National Forest in Douglas County. Through the use of investigative genetic genealogy, deputies said 'Rainbow Falls Jane Doe' has now been identified as Rebecca “Becky” Ann Redecker.

“We have been in contact with her family. She is survived by her mother and brother, and they are cooperating in this investigation and providing us information," said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock. "You can imagine how difficult it is for them to have not known where their daughter was because we weren’t able to identify her."

At the time of Redecker's death, deputies said they believe she was likely homeless. She reportedly had childhood ties to the Woodland Park and Divide, CO areas of Teller County as well as the Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs areas of El Paso County.

Deputies constructed a timeline of her last known whereabouts prior to her death:

• 1985 to 1988 – Living in Manitou Springs, CO
• 1988 to 1989 – Living in Divide, CO
• 1989 – Living at a group home in Colorado Springs, CO
• 1990 to 1991 – Living at a group home in Denver, CO
• 1992 – Living in Black Forest, CO; Green Mountain Falls, CO and Woodland Park, CO

“We are asking for anyone who knew Becky, who recognizes any of these photographs of her, anyone that she was with in the summer of 1993, anyone she might have talked to, anyone that she was associated with or anyone who saw here, to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office," the sheriff said.

According to Sheriff Spurlock, the cause of Redecker's death remains undetermined at this time, and there are no persons of interest. He also added that his department is treating the case like an active homicide.

"We are heartbroken for this outcome for the family, but anxious that her identity will now let us move forward to find justice!" Undersheriff Nicholson-Kluth said in a tweet.

If you or someone you know has any information on Redecker's case, you're urged to contact the lead detective, Detective Mark O'Harold at 303-784-7815. The sheriff's office has also teamed up with Metro Denver Crime Stoppers to offer $10,000 to anybody who provides information that leads to an arrest in this case.

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