On a cold winter's night in Denver, Colorado, on February 27, 1970, a young man's life was tragically cut short, leaving a mystery that has endured for decades. Martin Bustos, a 27-year-old White male, was found fatally shot near his 1955 Chevrolet at the intersection of 26th and Curtis streets. When Denver Police officers were called to the scene, they discovered that Mr.
Bustos had succumbed to his injuries right there.
The shooting of Martin Bustos became one of Denver's oldest and most perplexing cold cases. Despite the passage of over half a century, the individual or individuals responsible for his death have never been identified, and no arrests have ever been made in connection with the homicide. The case remains an open and active investigation within the Denver Police Department's Cold Case Unit, a somber reminder of a life taken too soon and a quest for justice that has not yet reached its end.
Investigators continue to seek information from the public, hoping that someone, somewhere, holds the key to unlocking this decades-old mystery. The Denver Police Department, in collaboration with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, has utilized advancements in DNA technology and traditional investigative methods in their ongoing efforts to bring closure to the family of Martin Bustos. A reward of up to $2,000 has been offered by Metro Denver Crime Stoppers for any information that leads to a breakthrough in the case, a beacon of hope that one day, the truth behind what happened on that fateful February night will finally come to light.
