Eight years ago, 17-year-old Maggie Long was on her way to a concert at Platte Valley High School when she encountered intruders inside her family’s home in Park County.
When Long did not show up for the concert her sister started posting on Facebook to ask if anyone had seen Maggie.
But Maggie would be found dead in her family’s burned home. Guns, ammunition and other property were missing.
The Park County Sheriff’s Office continues searching for clues in the cold case, hoping the eighth anniversary of Long’s killing will inspire someone to come forward with new information. A $75,000 reward is being offered.
“We believe someone knows something that could help solve this case and bring a measure of justice to Maggie’s family and the Bailey community,” Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw said in a news release from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. “It could take just one person to help our investigation and we are determined to bring a resolution to one of Colorado’s most high-profile cold cases.
Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Long’s house at 7 p.m., Dec. 1, 2017, because of a house fire at 3763 County Road 43 in Bailey. Someone had called 911 to report that people were inside the residence causing damage, according to the FBI’s website.
After firefighters extinguished the fire Long’s remains were discovered inside. The El Paso County coroner ruled her death a homicide.
Investigators believe Long fought with the people inside her home before the fire started, the FBI has reported. The suspects stole a Beretta handgun, an assault rifle, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, a green safe and jade figurines.
The Park County Sheriff’s Office has released three sketches of potential suspects. In 2021, the FBI said its investigators were looking into the homicide as a possible hate crime.
Anyone with information on Long’s death is asked to call the Maggie Long Task Force tip line at (303-239-4243 or send e-mail to maggie.long.tips@state.co.us. Those providing tips can remain anonymous.
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