Share this @internewscast.com

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Authorities in Douglas County are asking for the public’s help to solve a 43-year-old cold case after a suspect arrested by law enforcement died by suicide last year.

James “Jim” Ihm was found dead in unincorporated Douglas County near Fern Creek Road, approximately one mile east of Colorado Highway 67, on March 8, 1981. About two weeks earlier, on Feb. 20, Ihm had planned to meet Richard “Rick” Eastridge, of Littleton, and others, at the Brazenhead Inn in Woodland Park.

Authorities said they planned to meet “to finalize the details of Ihm’s sale of a large amount of marijuana and were going to travel to a secluded area to complete the transaction,” according to a spokesperson with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Ihm was never heard from again.

The case went cold for nearly 43 years until Eastridge’s arrest on Nov. 8, 2023. Deputies said his arrest came following numerous witness statements, evidence recovered in 1981, evidence analyzed in 2023, and Eastridge’s confession.

Denver 7+ Colorado News Latest Headlines | March 7, 11am

The suspect “implicated himself and others” who planned to rob Ihm of a large amount of marijuana, which ultimately resulted in the murder, deputies said.

While out of custody on bond a week after his arrest, Eastridge took his own life, they added.

“On the eve of the 43rd year since the discovery of Ihm’s body, we are seeking the public’s assistance with bringing this case to a final resolution,” investigators said in a news release.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at coldcasetips@dcsheriff.net or 303-660-7528.


D7 follow up bar 2460x400FINAL.png

What do you want Denver7 to follow up on? Is there a story, topic or issue you want us to revisit? Let us know with the contact form below.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Father Sentenced in Tragic Corporal Punishment Case Resulting in Son’s Death

Derrick Coles (Bexar County Jail). Background: The street in Texas where Coles…

Mother Charged After Child Tragically Dies in 107-Degree Parked Car

Inset left to right: Ariel Osbey and Imani Osbey (Alcovy Judicial Circuit…

Shocking Assault: Man Uses E-Bike Battery in Violent Attack on Woman, Police Report

Share In a shocking incident in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a man…

Shocking Child Neglect: Georgia Couple Arrested After Abandoning Toddlers at Campsite

In a troubling incident in Carroll County, Georgia, authorities have arrested a…

Tragic Discovery: Body of Missing Miss USA Hopeful Kada Scott Found, Investigation Probes Potential Accomplice

The remains of Kada Scott have been discovered in a wooded area…

Man Who Threatened to Assassinate Trump in First Year Receives Sentence

President Donald Trump attends the 157th National Memorial Day Observance at Arlington…

Paris Prosecutor Reveals Staggering $157 Million Heist of Priceless Louvre Jewels

The audacious theft of crown jewels from the Louvre over the weekend…

North Carolina Justice Department Penalized by Judge for ‘Widespread Issues

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson speaks at a press conference (NCDOJ).…

Mother Finds Closure 27 Years Later: Confession Brings Justice for Slain Teen

The mother of a teenage boy who tragically lost his life during…

Shocking Night Attack: Man Arrested for Stabbing Ex’s Stepfather in Sleep with Kitchen Knife

Inset left: Tomas Aguilar (Webb County Sheriff”s Office). Inset right: Oscar Bedarte…

Jack Smith Debunks Phone Tapping Conspiracy: A Clear Rebuttal in Detailed Letter

Left: President Joe Biden speaks from the Roosevelt Room of the White…

Justice Delivered: Sentencing of Farm Murderer in Teen Girl’s Tragic Case

Inset: Jade Colvin (Iowa Department of Public Safety). Background: James Bachmurski at…