Mark Groezinger

Real Name: Mark Edward Groezinger
Nicknames: No Known Nicknames
Location: Golden, Colorado
Date: April 6, 1984

Case

Details: On the morning of April 7, 1984, twenty-nine-year-old concrete cutter Mark Groezinger was found murdered in his car on Lookout Mountain west of Denver, Colorado. The car was found parked near the Mother Cabrini Shrine. He had been shot repeatedly at close range by an unknown killer using a .38 revolver. The driver's window of his blue Buick had been shattered. Investigators found a paper bag filled with .38 caliber bullets on the right front floorboard. Shell casings were found both inside and outside the vehicle, suggesting that the gun was reloaded at least twice during the shooting. Police found several expensive items that were his, including his wallet, and ruled out robbery. The car keys were missing. The murder appeared to be a crime of passion, and his wife, Judy, was suspected.
Shortly after the murder, Judy was questioned by investigators about the night of the murder. According to her, at around 6:30PM on the night of April 6, the couple went to dinner at a local restaurant with a friend. Mark wanted to go out, but Judy wasn't feeling well. They left, stopped at a liquor store, and bought a bottle of whiskey. At around 8PM, he dropped off Judy and their friend at their home. He then allegedly went out to a bar to play pool. When questioned, she could not give an explanation for why he went to the mountain.
However, as investigators looked into the case, they found several discrepancies in Judy's story. She claimed that Mark had dropped her off at 8PM. However, witnesses who were going to a wedding rehearsal on the mountain reported that they had passed by Mark's car at the same time. When they left the rehearsal at 10PM, the car was at the same spot.
Despite an extensive search around the crime scene, the murder weapon, a .38 revolver, was not located. They ran a check on all leased .38 revolvers purchased in the Denver area. They then discovered that Judy had purchased a .38 revolver at a Denver pawn shop three days before the murder. When asked why she didn't tell them this, she claimed that she had forgot. She said that Mark had asked her to buy the weapon for an underage friend. She claimed that she last saw the weapon when she gave it to Mark.
Investigators questioned the manager of the pawn shop. He recognized Judy and recalled her buying a gun. However, he claimed that she was with another man when she bought the gun. He noted that the man was not Mark. He claimed that she talked with the man as he looked at the gun that she was buying. He also recalled that she bought ammunition for the weapon. Police did not understand this, as she was allegedly buying it for a friend and wouldn't need ammunition. She claimed that she was alone when she bought the gun.
As investigators questioned Judy, they found a discrepancy regarding the liquor store visit on the night of the murder. The employee working at the store that night was questioned. She knew the Groezingers and confirmed that Mark did not come to the store that night. However, she did recall seeing Judy with a man several days after the murder. The description of the man matched that given by the pawn shop manager.
Evidence found in Mark's car suggested that someone had stopped at a liquor store on the night of the murder. A six-pack of beer was found; however, the receipt showed it was purchased at a different store than the one Judy named. Her fingerprints were found on one of the beer bottles.
The evidence at the scene pointed to someone that Mark knew. Investigators believe that he was shot from the passenger side of the car. Based on the number of bullets fired at Mark, investigators are certain that the crime was motivated by rage, hatred, or passion. However, Mark's brother was not certain that Judy would have killed him.
Judy's friend was also brought in for questioning. She claimed that the two had watched TV until about midnight, then slept on the couch. However, rumors about the women soon began to surface, which led police to question the woman's credibility. Several friends and acquaintances claimed that their relationship was more than just friends. Surprisingly, the day after the murder, the woman moved in with Judy. Five years later, they are still living together and have bought a house. Judy claims that she is just a close friend and nothing more.
Judy claims that she didn't have a motive to kill Mark. However, investigators noted that he took out a life insurance policy for $100,000 two months prior to his death. After the murder, the insurance company was reluctant to pay the full amount to Judy, who was named a beneficiary, because she was still a suspect in Mark's murder. She claims that the dispute was settled out of court.
Judy continues to maintain her innocence in the case. Investigators noted that they do not have physical evidence to place her in the car that night. However, they note that they have circumstantial evidence, mainly her conflicting statements, that points to her possible involvement. The case remains unsolved.

Suspects: The chief suspect in this case is Judy Groezinger. She had purchased a .38 revolver three days before the murder. Further, she had indicated she last saw Mark at 8PM, while other people indicated they had already seen the car in the place where it was abandoned by then. Further, the gun's seller indicated that she was accompanied by a man who wasn't Mark at the pawn shop and that she inquired about purchasing ammunition, which she denied. She had indicated that Mark went to a liquor store after dropping her off and a friend, but the person working there that night indicated he was not there, but rather, Judy and the man from the pawn shop were there. Lastly, Judy's friend moved in with her the day after Mark's murder. There is no concrete evidence linking her directly to the murder. However, she is currently considered a person of interest in the case.
Extra Notes: This case first aired on the January 24, 1990 episode.
Results: Unsolved
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Mark Groezinger

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