On this date in 1960, Adolph Coors III, heir to the beer company, was kidnapped after leaving for work. Evidence eventually pointed to a Fulbright scholar-turned-crook named Joseph Corbett, Jr. (pictured above). A nationwide manhunt was launched, with the FBI releasing over 1.5 million wanted posters.
By September 1960, the remains of Adolph Coors were found near Pike’s Peak. Apparently, he had been shot during the abduction. In October 1960, Corbett was arrested by Canadian police in Vancouver, BC. He was convicted in 1961 and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled in 1978 and died at age 80 in an apparent suicide in 2009.
Further reading:
This Day In History – Coors brewery heir is kidnapped
Wikipedia – Adolph Coors III
Wikipedia – Joseph Corbett, Jr.
John D.:
That is one tragic story.
Was there ever a ransom demand (my guess is no, since Coors probably died from the gunshot)?
Makes me wonder WHY Corbett would find it necessary to shoot Coors during the abduction.
Then agian, those old German folks were not to be trifled with.
Corbett even LOOKs scary – like something found in The TWilight Zone.
Good story.
Stay safe out there.
There was a note demanding a $500k ransom. The family sent the required signal that they were willing to pay, but there was no follow up. I guess Corbett gave up on trying to get the cash, figuring that trying to collect might lead to his capture. He was probably right, but he got caught anyway.
17 years for kidnapping and murder?
A pretty weak sentence, isn’t it? I’ve seen guys do more time for robbery.