On December 23, 1995, the body of a young Black man was found behind the Coal Creek Arena and Rodeo Grounds in Aurora, Colorado. He was identified five days later through fingerprints as 24-year-old Craig Anthony Bridges. The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office determined he died sometime between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. from numerous gunshot wounds.

Investigators linked Bridges to an address in Los Angeles and learned he was a suspected Crip member. His mother said she had placed him on a flight from Los Angeles, believing he was bound for Kansas City, Missouri; how he came to be in Aurora is not clear. Records show Bridges had been staying at the Travelers Motel on East 6th Avenue, reportedly sharing a room with two other people: a Black male who presented a California driver’s license that may have been counterfeit, and an unidentified Black female with blonde hair. Both are described as persons of interest.

No arrests have been announced and the homicide remains unsolved. Does anyone have information about Bridges, the Travelers Motel occupants, or movements in Aurora that night?