This Fort Collins cold case is bringing the Crime Junkie podcast to Denver

Yahoo

03-04-2025

DENVER (KDVR) — A popular podcast coming to Denver chose a decades-old cold case from Fort Collins to highlight on their tour.
At each tour stop for the 'Life Rule #10 Tour,' the Crime Junkie podcast is highlighting the same cold case, and the case chosen is the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick that's still unsolved. With more than 5 million listeners per episode and 1.5 billion downloads, this case is now gaining some major attention.
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Talking about a cold case on the tour was important to the hosts, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat.
'It was important to us to choose cases where we can use our platform to make change happen and this felt like a good case to do that with,' Prawat said.
Peggy Hettrick was murdered on Feb 11, 1987, in Fort Collins. She was found stabbed in the back in an open field along Landings Drive.
The case was handled by Fort Collins police and prosecuted by the 8th Judicial District. It's been said the case was mishandled and investigators had tunnel vision for their suspect.
'Immediately, the main suspect was a 15-year-old kid named Tim Masters who didn't have a lot of evidence against him, but eventually by the mid-90s the district attorney thought he had enough and took him to trial and he was convicted,' Prawat said.
Masters spent nearly 10 years in prison before his conviction was overturned in 2008 thanks to new DNA evidence. The case was turned over to the Attorney General's office after the wrongful conviction. A new investigation was launched, but even then, it didn't produce any new leads.
That's why Flowers and Prawat felt Peggy's case was perfect for their tour.
'She was a woman who had dreams and ambitions and goals and people who loved her and people she loved. By humanizing victims in the way that we like to do it makes our listenership more passionate. You're able to see your mom, see yourself, see your sister, see your loved ones in that victim,' Prawat said.
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But their efforts are going a step further. At the end of each show, they have a QR code that sends a letter directly to Attorney General Phil Weiser's office urging him to reopen the case.
Weiser's office sent FOX31 the following statement in regard to the case and the podcast's efforts.
'Peggy Hettrick was murdered on February 11, 1987. The case was originally investigated by the Fort Collins Police and prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office in the 8th Judicial District. New DNA evidence led to the exoneration of the person who was convicted of the murder.
In 2008, then-Governor Ritter assigned the investigation and any new prosecution to a former attorney general. A team of experienced investigators and prosecutors opened a statewide grand jury and conducted a thorough investigation. Regretfully, the new investigation that began in 2008 did not develop into a chargeable case.
Justice for Peggy Hettrick, and her family and friends, continues to be important to the attorney general's office. This is now considered a cold case but remains an open investigation. As a result, in would be inappropriate to comment further.'
Attorney General Phil Weiser's Office
The tour stops at the Bellco Theatre this Sunday and there are still tickets available online.
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Flowers and Prawat's only goal is to get answers and bring some justice for her family. 'My ultimate goal is that the case is reopened and that people are investigated. We get a charge and eventually a conviction. That's the closest thing to justice that Peggy will ever get and she and her family deserve that.' Brit said.
Anyone who has new, credible information about Peggy Hettrick's murder may report that information via email to [e-mail].
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