For nearly half a century, the baffling mystery surrounding the brutal murder of Teree Becker remained unsolved. The 18-year-old had vanished on December 4, 1975, while hitchhiking to visit her boyfriend in Brighton, Colorado. Tragically, just two days later, her lifeless body was discovered in a field outside of Denver.

Becker's remains, along with her clothes and personal belongings, were found by two passing motorcyclists in the city of Westminster, about 10 miles north of Denver. An autopsy later revealed that she had been raped and died from asphyxiation.

Despite numerous investigatory efforts over the past 48 years, the case remained cold. However, a breakthrough came with the advent of DNA technology and genetic genealogy. It was revealed that the perpetrator behind Becker's murder was Thomas Martin Elliot, a career criminal who had spent a significant portion of his life in and out of prison.

Elliot, born on an unspecified date, died by suicide in October 1991 at the age of 40. A crucial development in the case arose in 2003 when DNA from an unknown male was extracted from a piece of evidence connected to Becker's rape. The profile went into the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but there was no immediate match.

Nearly a decade later, in 2013, a possible breakthrough occurred. A DNA profile from an unknown male, obtained by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department in connection to a cold case involving the rape and murder of a woman in her apartment in 1991, matched the DNA in Becker's case. Investigators were now convinced that the same individual was responsible for both heinous crimes.

In 2018, genetic genealogy became the focal point of the investigation. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation, alongside Parabon Nanolabs and the local Denver genealogy company Solved By DNA, embarked on a five-year journey to create a family tree using the DNA sample. This eventually led to the identification of Thomas Martin Elliot as the prime suspect.

Tracing Elliot's genetic DNA proved challenging for investigators due to his parents' divorce and his subsequent adoption by his stepfather, resulting in a change of his last name. Authorities revealed that Elliot had spent a significant portion of his life in and out of prison. Prior to Becker's murder, he had committed a burglary in Lakewood, Colorado, leading to a six-year prison sentence.

During his time behind bars, Elliot moved through the corrections system, ultimately being released in Las Vegas in 1981. Sadly, shortly after his release, he committed a crime against a child, resulting in a 10-year prison sentence. Released again in Las Vegas in 1991, he then committed the murder in the cold case that allowed investigators to create his DNA profile. The mystery deepened as Elliott tragically took his own life only days later on October 30, 1991.

Teree Becker, originally from Casper, Wyoming, had relocated to the Denver metro area after graduating from high school. Described by her family as a "free spirit" who enjoyed living on the edge, Becker was known for her ability to engage in conversations with anyone and her passion for art and music.

"We are thrilled we were able to solve this cold case and hopefully bring closure to the friends and family of Teree Becker," expressed the Westminster Police Department.

After nearly five decades of uncertainty and heartache, the closure provided by the identification of Thomas Martin Elliot as the long-sought-after perpetrator brings a sense of relief and justice to those who mourned Teree Becker's tragic loss.