On a warm summer evening in Denver, Colorado, 17-year-old Kerby R. Acosta was with friends outside 4500 Mariposa Street when a vehicle approached them on July 13, 1997. The young man, identified in one report as Hispanic/Latino, was unaware of the imminent danger that would abruptly end his life. From within the passing car, an individual discharged a shotgun, striking Kerby.
The blast was fatal, and he died at the scene, his life cut tragically short in a sudden act of violence.
The vehicle, carrying several occupants, fled the scene immediately after the shooting, vanishing into the city. The Denver Police Department opened a homicide investigation, but the case proved to be challenging from the outset. Despite appeals to the public for information, no specific suspects have ever been formally identified or arrested in connection with Kerby's murder. The case eventually went cold, joining the ranks of unsolved homicides that leave families with unanswered questions and a sense of justice unfulfilled.
Years have passed since that fatal night, yet the case of Kerby R. Acosta remains open. Law enforcement has not given up hope that new leads may emerge. The Denver Police Department's Cold Case Unit continues to seek information from the public that could finally lead to the identification and apprehension of those responsible for the senseless killing of a teenager on a summer night. A reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest, a standing plea for anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward and help bring closure to Kerby's family.
