Thomas Ray Carpenter was a man known for his kindness, calm demeanor, and readiness to help anyone in need. Born in Major County, Oklahoma, on March 28, 1942, he moved frequently with his family due to his father's construction work before they settled in Grand Junction, Colorado. In high school, he met Phyllis Wilson, the woman he would persistently court and eventually marry. After enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1961, he served honorably, including a deployment to Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After his discharge, he and Phyllis started their family in Grand Junction. In 1968, he joined the Colorado State Patrol, moving his wife and their three young children to Lafayette. A devoted husband, father, and a religious man, Trooper Thomas Carpenter, a 31-year-old white male, was well-regarded by all who knew him.
On the morning of December 27, 1973, Trooper Carpenter was on duty in Denver.
Sometime before 10 a.m., he encountered a stolen vehicle with two men—one white and one Black—on the westbound on-ramp from Broadway to U.S. 36, the Boulder Turnpike. It is unclear whether he was stopping to assist a stranded motorist or because he saw something suspicious, as he made no radio call. What followed was a kidnapping. The two men overpowered Trooper Carpenter, took his service weapon, and forced him to drive them away in his own marked patrol car.
For a period of time, witnesses reported seeing Trooper Carpenter's vehicle traveling around the areas of Interstate 25 and Interstate 70 with two passengers. At 9:58 a.m., a dispatcher sent him to a crash at East 58th Avenue and I-25. Carpenter responded that he was currently at Interstate 70 and Havana Street, miles from his patrol area. Six minutes later, the dispatcher called again, and Carpenter tersely replied that he was on his way. This was his last known communication.
The tragic journey ended in the Montbello neighborhood of Denver. At approximately 10:50 a.m., witnesses saw two men, matching the descriptions of the suspects, running from Trooper Carpenter's patrol car, which was parked in a lot behind an apartment complex at 13870 Albrook Drive. Inside the vehicle, Thomas Carpenter was found in the driver's seat, having been shot and killed. Evidence suggested the fatal shot to his head was fired from the back seat. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Denver Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation, with the FBI conducting a parallel inquiry. Investigators questioned several individuals, but no arrests were ever made. Two years later, a significant piece of evidence surfaced when Trooper Carpenter’s stolen service weapon was discovered in a ditch alongside a road in New Mexico. Unfortunately, this discovery did not lead to a breakthrough in the case.
Over the decades, the case grew cold, but it was never forgotten. The Denver Police Department reviewed the case in 2012, and in 2018, it was officially reopened and assigned to a cold case detective. The Denver Police Crime Laboratory has also prioritized the case, re-examining all evidence with modern forensic technology. "Thomas Carpenter was a devoted husband, father, and trooper,” said Colonel Matthew Packard, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Someone must know something about the murder of Trooper Carpenter. We are pleading that anyone with information, even if it seems insignificant, to please call the Denver Police so that the family can receive closure in this case.”
As of December 2020, the investigation into the murder of Trooper Thomas Carpenter remains active. Law enforcement officials are hopeful that new community tips or a fresh look at the evidence will finally lead to a resolution. "While nearly 50 years have passed since this tragic murder, we are hopeful that the case can be solved," said Denver Police Chief Paul M. Pazen. A special reward of up to $10,000 is offered for information leading to a conviction. Anyone with information is urged to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
