In the late evening of September 8, 1974, a 28-year-old White male named Larry Gene Loucka was enjoying a simple walk down a Denver street, holding a portable radio to his ear. Known to his friends as 'Smiles,' he had only recently returned to Denver after spending some time in Phoenix. His life, however, was cut tragically short that night in what remains an unsolved crime.
As Loucka strolled along the 400 block of E. 11th Avenue, an unknown individual followed him.
Without warning, the assailant came up from behind and shot him. First responders rushed Loucka to a local hospital, but his injuries were too severe. He succumbed to the gunshot wound a few hours later on September 9, 1974.
The Denver Police Department investigated the homicide, but no suspects were ever publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in the decades since the incident. The case eventually went cold, leaving the question of who was responsible for the sudden and violent death of Larry Loucka unanswered. Authorities continue to ask for anyone with information regarding the case to come forward.
