The identity of a woman whose remains were found near the Saint Vrain River in 1973 has finally been revealed thanks to advancements in genetic genealogy. The remains were identified as Roxanne Leadbeater, who was 15 at the time of her arrival in Colorado. The case remains under investigation, but this breakthrough offers hope for resolving other cold cases using this technology.
One of Weld County 's oldest cold case s recently took a significant leap forward when human remains discovered near a river west of Platteville were finally identified. The identification came over 50 years after hunters stumbled upon skeletal remains in an area near the Saint Vrain River north of Highway 66 on November 19, 1973. Investigators at the time believed the remains belonged to a young woman, but their investigation yielded limited information.
Fast forward to late 2024, when genetic genealogy became instrumental in helping the Weld County Sheriff’s Office identify the remains as Roxanne Leadbeater. Toward the end of the year, Pam Simek, residing in Vermont, received a call from the sheriff's office regarding her first cousin. Investigators had tracked Simek down after extracting DNA from Leadbeater's remains at Linn Grove Cemetery in Greeley in early 2022 and constructing a facial composite. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation utilized websites like GEDmatch and Family Tree DNA to construct a family tree, ultimately establishing the connection.“When we found out she had gone missing, the stories that came around the family were one of sadness for Uncle John and Aunt Joan, but we just never knew what happened to her,' Simek shared. Although Simek never met Leadbeater, she always yearned to know more about her. Receiving this closure, finally having some answers, was a relief, she told Denver7. Sadly, Leadbeater's parents and brother are no longer alive for Simek to share this news with directly. Detective Byron Kastilahn from the Weld County Sheriff’s Office was the one who reached out to Simek with the news. He explained that thanks to genetic genealogy, they had identified the woman as Leadbeater, who had been living in Los Angeles. However, the reason for her presence in Colorado remains a mystery. Simek is unaware of any Colorado connections. Kastilahn stated that Leadbeater was 15 years old when she arrived in Colorado, but the motive behind her journey remains unknown. He also mentioned that he hasn't been able to locate any missing person's reports from that time. The last known photograph of Leadbeater is a yearbook picture from Lawndale High School in Lawndale, California.Many unanswered questions persist, including the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, the precise time and reason, and whether her death was caused by foul play or natural causes. Nevertheless, this development represents a positive step forward in the case. “It’s great. It gives me hope for other cases with this genetic genealogy,” Kastilahn expressed. Simek is reaching out to anyone with any information about Leadbeater's time in Colorado or her death, urging them to contact Weld County Det. Kastilahn at 970-400-2827
Cold Case Genetic Genealogy Missing Person Weld County Colorado Remains Identified Roxanne Leadbeater
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