Colorado Springs Detectives Solve 1999 Cold Case Murder Of Jennifer Watkins
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4)- Colorado Springs police detectives have solved the cold case of a more than 20-year-old murder. The suspect was identified using familial DNA.
In 1999, Jennifer Watkins was found dead under a stairwell in an area of Memorial Hospital that was under construction in Colorado Springs. The 23-year-old worked there as a food service aide.
Her body was discovered by a maintenance worker two days after she was reported missing by her husband. She died from blunt force trauma to the head and her death was ruled a homicide.
Two DNA profiles other than the victim's, were developed from the evidence, including semen, found at the scene and on the victim's pants. No matches were found and eventually the investigation became a cold case.
Between 2017 and 2018, through a process called DNA phenotyping, investigators were able to develop a composite of the suspect that was created through DNA found at the scene. The lab estimates that the killer was about 25 years old at the time and of Northern European ancestry, blue or green eyes with blond or brown hair and fair skin.
In August 2020, police were notified of a potential lead on the unknown DNA profile and the person of interest was identified as Ricky Severt. He worked as an employee in the maintenance department at Memorial Hospital at the time of Watkins murder. Severt was killed in a traffic accident on Nov. 2, 2001 on Highway 94 just east of Colorado Springs.
Familial DNA was collected from surviving relatives of Severt and after analyzing the DNA, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation determined that Severt cannot be excluded from the from the results. The 4th Judicial District Attorney is confident that the person responsible for Watkins' murder is Severt. Because he was killed, the investigation into the murder of Watkins will be closed out as Exceptionally Cleared/Death of Offender.
"After all these years, we are grateful to finally give Jennifer Watkins' family the answers they deserve. No matter the length of time, we will always work to serve this community, and I am proud of all the Cold Case detectives throughout the last 21 years who have never stopped working for Ms. Watkins. Not for one moment did they ever lose sight of what was most important: Finding the truth for the Watkins' family. And thank you to our partners. We would not have been able to solve this case without your time, skill, and dedication," says CSPD Chief Vince Niski in a statement.