On February 7, 1999, Paul Skiba, a 39-year-old father and owner of a moving company, his nine-year-old daughter Sarah Skiba, and a 35-year-old employee, Lorenzo Chivers, vanished without a trace. Paul, who ran Tuff Movers, had reportedly taken Sarah and Lorenzo along for a moving job in the Morrison, Colorado area. They were last seen together that day, embarking on what should have been a routine workday.
The group was traveling in Paul's distinctive 1978 white Chevrolet moving truck, which was approximately 25 feet long and marked with a red crescent moon on its sides. Their failure to return home or make contact with family and friends raised immediate alarm, initiating a search and a complex investigation that would span decades. The sudden disappearance of a father, his young child, and his employee under such ordinary circumstances was the beginning of a heart-wrenching mystery that has left a community searching for answers.
The initial hope of their safe return began to fade as days turned into weeks. A significant break in the case came on February 13, 1999, when Paul Skiba's moving truck was discovered abandoned in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Thornton, Colorado. The state of the vehicle's interior immediately suggested a violent encounter had taken place. Investigators found evidence of a struggle and a substantial amount of blood inside the truck's cab and cargo bay. Forensic analysis later confirmed that the blood belonged to Paul Skiba. This discovery shifted the focus of the investigation from a missing persons case to a presumed homicide. Despite the grim evidence found in the truck, there was no sign of Paul, Sarah, or Lorenzo. The lack of any bodies left investigators with a crime scene but no victims, deepening the mystery and the anguish for their loved ones.
In the years that have followed, the case has been fraught with frustrating dead ends and a painful lack of closure. Law enforcement has pursued numerous leads and has publicly identified persons of interest, but no arrests have ever been made. One individual who had a contentious business relationship with Paul Skiba was looked at by investigators, and it was noted that this person's new wife had previously been in a relationship with Paul. However, a lack of sufficient evidence has prevented any formal charges from being filed. The case is now considered a cold case homicide, yet it remains an open and active investigation. The Westminster Police Department continues to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough. The disappearance of Paul Skiba, Sarah Skiba, and Lorenzo Chivers is a tragic and perplexing case that highlights the devastating impact of unsolved crimes. The absence of concrete answers has left their families in a prolonged state of grief and uncertainty, perpetually hoping for the day when they will finally know what happened to their loved ones.Last Seen: Feb 7, 1999
