The Unsolved Murder of Candace Hiltz: A Botched Investigation and Lingering Questions

The Tragic Discovery

• 💔 17-year-old Candace Hiltz was found murdered in her family home on August 15th, 2006, by her mother, Dolores.
• 🩸 The crime scene was brutal, with Candace suffering extensive trauma, including the pulverization of approximately 75% of her skull.
• 🐶 Just three days prior to Candace's murder, the family dog was found murdered, tied to a tree behind their home.

Initial Investigation and Suspicions

• 🔍 Fremont County Deputy Robert Dodd was initially investigating a trespassing and robbery complaint involving Candace's brother, James, who suffered from severe social anxiety.
• 🗣️ Candace confronted Deputy Dodd, accusing him of accepting payments from drug dealers, which reportedly enraged him.
• 🚨 Investigators immediately focused on James, Candace's brother, despite his severe mental health disorders and lack of access to firearms, issuing an "all points bulletin" for him.

Questionable Police Work and Evidence Mishandling

• 📝 Dolores Hiltz expressed significant criticism of the investigation, citing overlooked evidence such as an unused shotgun shell, bullets, a blood-stained blanket, and blood-soaked towels.
• 🧺 Dolores Hiltz collected overlooked evidence, including blood-stained towels belonging to an unknown male, and submitted it to the sheriff's office.
• 🏠 The crime scene was reportedly left unsecured and unlocked for three days by the Fremont County Sheriff's Office (FCSO).

The Storage Unit Revelation

• 📦 In December 2016, Rick Ratzlaf purchased an abandoned storage unit and discovered an axe, bloody rope, socks soaked in blood, police lights, sheriff's uniforms (some with Robert Dodd's name), and court documents.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The storage unit was owned by Deputy Lieutenant Robert Dodd, and the blood-soaked evidence was confirmed to be from Candace Hiltz's murder scene.
• 🤫 Sheriff Biker reportedly warned Ratzlaf to keep quiet about the findings and that his life could be in danger.

Legal Ramifications and Unanswered Questions

• ⚖️ Deputy Dodd was eventually convicted of mishandling evidence, abuse of public records, and official misconduct, receiving a sentence of 180 days, with credit for 165 days served.
• 🚫 The Hilts family was disappointed with Dodd's light sentence and the judge's lack of explanation for a significant sentence reduction.
• 🗑️ Evidence allegedly belonging to other cases, including murders and sexual assaults, was reportedly found in a landfill outside Canon City, allegedly thrown away by Dodd.
• ❓ The motive for Candace's murder and the extent of Robert Dodd's involvement remain subjects of speculation and are believed by many to be connected.
• 🌟 Candace Hiltz's murder remains an open cold case, with her family continuing to seek justice and having started a foundation to hire a private investigator.