Toddler found holding dead mom’s hand in 1975, CO cops say. Now, push for answers
Marjorie Sue Fithian and her 18-month-old son never made it to their Colorado home in 1975.
Instead, Fithian was found dead “on a desolate gravel road” on June 24, 1975, the Weld County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 24 Facebook post.
Her toddler was “clutching her hand,” sitting among shattered glass, deputies said.
Despite “extensive investigation” over the past five decades, investigators haven’t unearthed any clues in Fithian’s slaying, and her death “remains a tragic mystery,” deputies said.
Now, on the 50th anniversary of her death, investigators are looking to the public for answers.
Before she was found dead, Fithian was supposed to be traveling home to Greeley via bus after a family visit in Denver, deputies said, adding that she and her son never boarded the bus.
A ranch hand found Fithian lying on a road about 50 miles from Denver, deputies said.
Fithian had “a gunshot wound to her head,” while her son was unharmed, according to deputies.
After making the grim discovery, the ranch hand “quickly called for help,” deputies said.
Though deputies have investigated Fithian’s case over the decades, they’ve found no leads that “conclusively explained her murder.”
“Theories have ranged from serial killers to drug conspiracies, but none have been substantiated,” deputies said.
One theory revolved around possible drug trafficking, given her “history of marijuana use,” deputies said.
“A local drug dealer falsely claimed involvement, only to retract his statement later,” deputies said.
Other theories included that Fithian may have been hitchhiking or “targeted by an unknown assailant,” deputies said.
These leads, however, also proved to be dead ends, according to deputies.
Fithian’s son doesn’t remember her and only knows about her “through family stories,” deputies said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact deputies at 970-304-6464, or crimetips@weld.gov.
This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 3:19 PM with the headline "Toddler found holding dead mom’s hand in 1975, CO cops say. Now, push for answers."
