On February 13, 1993, the body of 26-year-old William E. “Billy” Trimbach, a White male, was discovered discarded along a desolate frontage road off Interstate 76 near Wiggins in Morgan County, Colorado. He had been fatally shot with a 9mm handgun, and evidence suggested his body was dragged from a vehicle. At the time of his death, Trimbach was living in the northeastern part of Weld County with his wife, Cindy, their baby daughter, and his 9-year-old stepson.
The family had moved to Colorado from Nevada about a year prior. Trimbach was working as a mechanic, reportedly to cover the mounting medical bills for his wife, who was battling AIDS.
The investigation into the homicide quickly centered on his wife, Cindy. The day Trimbach's body was found was also the couple's first wedding anniversary. Cindy had reported him missing that morning, claiming she had not seen him since the previous day. However, her statements soon raised red flags for investigators. She admitted to driving in the remote area where her husband's body was found late the night before, a location roughly 45 miles from their home where they reportedly knew no one. A search of her Chevrolet Suburban revealed small amounts of dried blood that matched Billy's. Furthermore, a 9mm handgun that belonged to Trimbach was missing from their home. A significant point of suspicion arose when detectives learned that Cindy had recently taken out a large life insurance policy on her husband; his signature on the application was found to be a forgery.
The case grew more complex and tragic following Trimbach's funeral. Cindy moved with her children to Butte, Montana. There, she informed school officials that her son had witnessed his stepfather's murder. About a year after Trimbach's death, the boy, then 10 years old, took a handgun to his elementary school and fatally shot another student on the playground. Due to his age, he was placed in a psychiatric facility. When questioned again by investigators, the boy recanted his story about witnessing the murder, admitting he had lied because he believed his mother was involved in his stepfather’s disappearance. Cindy Trimbach died from AIDS-related complications in 1994, never having been charged in her husband's death.
Over the years, the investigation has been hampered by bizarre circumstances and unreliable information, as many individuals connected to the case were involved with methamphetamine use. Investigators developed a theory that Trimbach may have been killed, perhaps accidentally, during an attempt to intimidate him, and that his wife may have arranged it for the insurance money and helped dispose of the body. In 1998, a male suspect who was asked to come in for an interview committed suicide, reportedly fearing he would be the only one prosecuted. Though a person of interest was arrested in 2008 on unrelated charges, no one has ever been formally charged with the murder of William Trimbach, and the case remains officially unsolved.
