Post by Scumhunter on Apr 5, 2015 22:33:46 GMT -5
Keith Anderson has been missing from Colorado since 1984. I honestly was not sure what section to put him in since it does seem in all likelihood he was murdered, but he is still technically a missing person since his body has never been found. Below is the Charley Project description of the case. A link to a Denver Post blog will also be provided at the bottom of this posting:
Anderson was last seen at a horse barn in Grand County, Colorado on February 5, 1984. He boarded his horse at the barn, which was owned by Vernon "Spud" Weaver. He has never been heard from again. After his disappearance, his truck was found idling near the barn with his German Shepherd dog in the back, but there was no sign of Anderson. Police later found Anderson's blood in the barn, on some manure. Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots in the area. The day after Anderson's disappearance, Weaver reported that his .44 caliber magnum handgun was missing from under the seat in his truck, where he normally kept it.
David Russell Buttel is the prime suspect in Anderson's disappearance. A photo of him is posted below this case summary. He had left his wife and children in Illinois and moved to Colorado with a girlfriend, and she left him and moved in with Anderson. A witness saw Buttel's truck near Anderson's ranch with something wrapped in blankets in the back. Buttel admitted he was in Weaver's barn on the day of Anderson's disappearance; he boarded two horses there. He said Anderson got a bloody nose before he walked outside. He also stated he noticed Anderson's horse was injured. The horse died two days later and a .44 caliber bullet was found in its body. Buttel refused to take a lie detector test and he left the area shortly afterward. Four months after Anderson's disappearance, Weaver's gun was found on Ute Pass. Police were unable to match it to the bullet in Anderson's horse because the gun barrel was too rusted.
Buttel's current whereabouts are unknown. He would now be in his sixties. He has not faced any charges in Anderson's disappearance. Anderson's father is still alive and looking for him. His case remains unsolved.
Thoughts? I must say besides finding Buttel this case is solvable despite it being 30 years old. This case I'm posting by request, and please don't quote this as official fact but apparently according to my source there are second hand rumors blood was found in Buttel's truck, and Buttel also claimed after Keith's nose bleed that he drove him to get checked out. How much more do Prosecutors need if that's true? Whether those check out or not, to me, there is still a lot of circumstance and coincidence, along with the fact Buttel high-tailed it out of town. Innocent people don't run. This case reminds me of the Sid Wells murder case which also happened in the 80's in Colorado and also took three decades to get a murder warrant out for Thayne Smika, who had already disappeared. Just like Buttel has now. I think despite this technically being a missing person case, it would be a great case for Cold Justice. For what it's worth I'll provide a grainy 1986 picture of Buttel below along with the links.
Admin Note #1: According to the Charley Project, anyone having information should call the the Grand County Sheriff’s Department (Colorado) at 970-725-3343
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
[
blogs.denverpost.com/coldcases/2009/03/29/body-suspect-still-missing-in-25-year-old-love-triangle/517/3/
www.charleyproject.org/cases/a/anderson_keith_robert.html
