On a Christmas morning in 1975, the body of Michael Bailey, a 24-year-old Black man, was found in the backyard of a home in the 2000 block of Lafayette Street in Denver’s West City Park neighborhood. The Denver Police Department determined his death was not natural and classified the case as a homicide after investigators established that Bailey had been shot to death. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots earlier that morning, but the circumstances of the shooting remained unclear.

Decades later the case is still unsolved. No arrests have been made and no suspects have been publicly identified; the Denver Police Department continues to list the case as open. Anyone who knew Michael Bailey or has information about that Christmas morning is asked to come forward.