In the early morning hours of September 28, 2009, a call reporting a shooting brought Denver police officers to the 2500 block of East 40th Avenue. There, in a parking lot, they discovered the body of 53-year-old Barbara Irish. Paramedics arrived at the scene but were unable to save her, pronouncing her dead from an apparent gunshot wound. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was complications from a penetrating gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was officially
ruled a homicide. Barbara was a white female.
The investigation into her death began immediately, with the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner being called to the scene at approximately 3:40 A.M. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, the case grew cold, and no arrests were ever made in connection with her murder. Her death left behind grieving family and friends, including a cousin who remembered her as a first best friend and more like a sister. The lack of resolution in her case has been a source of ongoing pain for her loved ones, who still seek justice for her untimely death.
Years later, Barbara Irish's case remains an open and unsolved homicide. Her name and the details of her death are listed on the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's Cold Case Files and the Denver Police Department's cold case list in the hopes that new information will emerge. Authorities continue to ask for the public's help, encouraging anyone with information regarding the shooting to come forward. The case serves as a somber reminder of a life cut short and a mystery that endures.
