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298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP39451) and 4 other sources
In the winter of 2016, a 53-year-old man named Derek Colburn vanished from the city of Denver, Colorado. He was last seen on January 24, 2016, and then, without a trace, he was gone. In the time leading up to his disappearance, there were no overt signs of distress or any indication that he was planning to leave. His case is shrouded in mystery as very few details are available about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. Derek, a man of both Irish and Hispanic descent, has not been seen or heard from by his family or friends since that cold January day. The lack of information has made the search for answers incredibly difficult for both his loved ones and the authorities.

Derek is described as a biracial man, standing at 5'10' and weighing around 160 pounds. He had brown hair and brown eyes at the time he went missing. A notable identifying feature is a tattoo on his chest, though the specifics of the tattoo are not publicly known. On the day he disappeared, the clothes he was wearing and his state of mind remain unknown. The absence of these seemingly small details creates a significant void in the investigation, leaving a trail that grows colder with each passing year. The Denver Police Department has been handling his case, but without new leads, the investigation has struggled to move forward.

The years have turned into a long and painful wait for Derek Colburn's family. With no significant leads or information surfacing since his disappearance, his case has become a cold case. The Denver Police Department continues to ask for the public's help, hoping that someone, somewhere, may have information that could solve the mystery of what happened to Derek. The case of Derek Colburn is a somber reminder of the many individuals who go missing, leaving behind families caught in an ambiguous loss, forever waiting for answers. The investigation into his disappearance remains open, a silent testament to a life interrupted and a family left to wonder.

Last Seen: Jan 24, 2016

Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

81%Moderate
John Doe — Aurora, Colorado - unidentified case UP16278
John Doe — Aurora, Colorado
UP16278 • Found Dec 13, 2016
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 53
Race 100%White
Location 100%11 mi away, same state
TimingFound 11 months after last seen
Height 52%5'6" vs 5'10"
Weight 81%191 lb vs 160 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.