The Weld County Sheriff’s Office has identified human skeletal remains that were found by hunters more than 50 years ago. The remains, which were found near the Saint Vrain River on November 19, 1973, were identified in December 2024 as Roxanne Leadbeater, a teenage girl who went missing the previous year.
When the remains were originally found, investigators believed they belonged to a young woman, but were unable to specifically identify the person. Detectives with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations were able to identify the remains in December with the help of genetic genealogy, facial recognition, and family tree websites like GED Match and Family Tree DNA.
After making the connection, the Weld County Sheriff’s Office reached out to Pam Simek, a cousin of Leadbeater who lives in Vermont. Simek said she had never met Leadbeater. She said her family was sad upon hearing of her disappearance and wanted to know more answers. Leadbetter’s parents and brother are deceased, so Simek was not able to share the news with them.
Investigators still don’t have the answers for why and how Leadbeater died or why she was in Colorado at the time of her death. Leadbeater lived in Los Angeles at the time of her death, according to records found in the family tree databases. Weld County Sheriff’s Office Detective Byron Kastilahn said she was 15 years old when she went to Colorado. Records indicate that Leadbeater went missing in 1972, when she was 15, and her body was found in 1973.
Simek said she was unaware of any connection or reason for Leadbeater to be in Colorado at the time of her death. Detective Katilahn said the department has been unable to locate a missing person’s report in Colorado and the last known picture of Leadbeater is from a Lawndale High School yearbook from California.
Investigators don’t know if Leadbeater died of natural causes, an accident, or if she was killed. Detective Katilahn said he is hopeful that the department can get more information and solve more cases with the use of genetic genealogy.
CBI Director Chris Schaefer, in a press release, said the case “highlights the importance of preserving evidence, even for decades-old crimes. Advancements in DNA technology have given us a powerful tool to help solve cold cases and bring long overdue answers to the families of victims who were never forgotten.”
Anyone with details regarding Leadbeater’s death or time spent in Colorado is asked to contact Detective Katilahn at 970-400-2827.
