In the heart of Denver, a senseless act of violence left a community in mourning and a family forever changed. On March 8, 1986, 61-year-old Lee Ashley, a white male, was discovered deceased inside his flower shop, a place that had once been a source of beauty and joy for the neighborhood. The scene, located in the 1600 block of Marion Street, told a grim story of a robbery that had escalated to a fatal encounter.
Ashley had been shot, his life taken amidst the very blossoms he so carefully tended.
The initial investigation into Ashley's death painted a picture of a robbery gone tragically wrong. Authorities believe that during the commission of the crime, the perpetrator or perpetrators resorted to lethal force, leaving behind a cold and silent scene. Despite the efforts of the Denver Police Department at the time, the case grew cold, with no suspects publicly identified or arrests made in the immediate aftermath of the homicide.
Years turned into decades, and the memory of the unsolved murder of the local florist faded from the daily consciousness of the city, yet for law enforcement, the file remained open. The case is now considered a cold case, a silent testament to a life cut short and a plea for justice that has yet to be answered. The Denver Police Department continues to hold the case file, numbered 1986-136551, awaiting any new information that might finally bring a resolution to the violent end of Lee Ashley's life. To this day, the identity of the person or persons responsible for his death remains a mystery, and no arrests have ever been made in connection with the case.
