What Happened: Adolph Coors III, CEO of Coors Brewing Company, was kidnapped on his way to work. His abandoned station wagon was found on a bridge with signs of a struggle.

Ransom Note: The next day, his wife received a ransom note demanding $500,000 for his safe return.

Criminal Background: Previously convicted of second-degree murder, escaped from a California prison in 1955.

Motive: Needed money and targeted Coors for ransom.

Capture: Arrested in Vancouver, Canada, on October 29, 1960.

Forensic Evidence:

Soil samples from Corbett’s car matched the area where Coors’ remains were found.

A burned-out yellow Mercury, linked to Corbett, contained incriminating evidence.

Breakthrough: Corbett’s name surfaced through car rental records and past criminal history, leading the FBI to track him.

Verdict: Found guilty of first-degree murder

Sentence: Life in prison (1961), paroled in 1980

Later Years: Maintained innocence, died by suicide in 2009 at the age of 80.

Corbett’s Fate: Lived quietly after parole, never confessed.

Crime & Forensic Influence: Helped improve forensic tracking of soil and mineral evidence.