On July 7, 2006, the life of 21-year-old Randi Regensberg was tragically cut short in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On that evening, friends of the young woman, who was six months pregnant, grew increasingly concerned for her safety when she was at the home of her ex-boyfriend, 28-year-old Cory Kotrba. A neighbor reportedly witnessed Kotrba drag Regensberg into the house by her hair.
This prompted a series of desperate 911 calls from her friends who had gathered outside the residence.
Despite their repeated pleas for help, it took over an hour and a half for police to be dispatched to the scene. The initial calls were not classified as a top priority because the information was considered secondhand. By the time officers arrived at the home in the 7700 block of Javelina SW, both Regensberg and Kotrba were dead. Investigators determined that Kotrba, a Los Alamos County firefighter, had shot Regensberg multiple times before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide.
In the aftermath of the tragic event, it was revealed that friends had made five calls to 911 before police were sent. The delayed response sparked outrage and led to a lawsuit filed by Regensberg's family against the City of Albuquerque, the police chief, and several 911 dispatchers. The family contended that a more timely police response could have saved her life. The city ultimately settled the wrongful death lawsuit for $685,000, although it did not admit guilt. The incident also prompted the Albuquerque Police Department to change its policy to prioritize any call reporting violence, even if the information is secondhand. The suspect in Regensberg's death was Cory Kotrba, who took his own life at the scene; therefore, no arrests were made.
