On November 24, 1985, a motorist on US Highway 285 near Light Lane in Conifer, Colorado discovered the nude body of a young white woman later identified as 21-year-old Lenora Christina Cortez. Family members told the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office that Lenora was transient and did not have a permanent home, which complicated efforts to reconstruct her last days and movements.

Her body was found in a remote stretch of mountain road, and investigators noted that the location suggested the killer may have been familiar with the area. The initial inquiry produced little physical evidence and no witnesses, and despite periodic reviews of the file and hopes that forensic advances might help, the case grew cold.

No arrests or publicly identified suspects have been announced. Anyone with information about Lenora’s activities in the weeks before November 24, 1985, or who may have seen something along US Highway 285 near Light Lane is asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.