Just after midnight on July 19, 1973, police in Denver responded to a reported shooting near West 34th Avenue and Mariposa Street. Officers found 35-year-old Frank Ortega in the street across from the Mambo Night Club with gunshot wounds; he was taken to a hospital and later died of his injuries. Frank Ortega, identified as a Hispanic male, became the victim of an unsolved homicide.

The circumstances of the shooting and any motive remain unclear. The Denver Police Department’s Cold Case Unit has kept the file open and is seeking information; a reward of up to $2,000 is being offered for tips that could lead to a resolution. If anyone has memories or information about that night or about Frank Ortega’s movements near West 34th Avenue and Mariposa Street, please come forward.