In the cold of a late Saturday afternoon in Denver, Colorado, the life of 29-year-old Varnell Jenkins was cut short by a burst of gunfire. On January 23, 2016, at approximately 5:40 p.m., Jenkins was shot and killed outside a business plaza located at 4660 Peoria Street. The incident, which unfolded in the Montbello neighborhood, left the community searching for answers and a family grappling with a sudden and violent loss.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the Denver Police
Department launched an investigation, appealing to the public for any information that might lead to the apprehension of the person or persons responsible. The suspect, who was not immediately identified, fled the scene, leaving investigators to piece together the events that led to Jenkins's death. Police were actively searching for witnesses who may have seen the shooting occur.
A few days after the fatal shooting, authorities released surveillance images of a man they described as a person of interest in the case. While they did not specify his exact involvement, they expressed a desire to speak with him and urged anyone who recognized him to come forward. Despite these efforts and the circulation of the images, the case grew cold, and information regarding any arrests or the identification of a definitive suspect has not been publicly released. The investigation into the death of Varnell Jenkins remains unresolved, one of many unsolved homicides that continue to haunt the city of Denver.
