On this date, Feb. 9, 1960, the grandson of Coors’ brewery founder Adolph Coors was kidnapped while driving to work in Morrison, Col. The younger Coors was held for ransom and later shot to death by his captors. The FBI eventually arrested Joe Corbett, who was convicted of the crime in 1961 and released in 1978. Eight days after Coors was kidnapped, a burned-out car was found in New Jersey with dirt that was traced back to the area where Coors was abducted. The car was traced to Corbett.
A ransom letter was traced back to Corbett’s typewriter. Further evidence showed Corbett had ordered handcuffs, leg irons and a gun through the mail in the months leading up to the kidnapping. Corbett was finally caught in Vancouver after an international manhunt, which included the FBI printing 1.5 million wanted posters with Corbett’s picture.
