this field. >> audrey marie elizabeth hurtado had been stabbed to death. >> reporter: sketches of a young man spotted with audrey the day she went missing while in buena vista visiting family was all investigators had to work with back then. now, new dna technology is helping them to close the case. >> the day audrey hurtado's body was found on july 28, 1977 ... >> reporter: chuck hampton was police chief when the murder happened. >> every member of the buena four of us, were committed to doing everything possible to investigate this case to the best of our ability. >> reporter: investigators say a 15-year-old boy only identified as ck was also on the suspect list. but, when he died in a motorcycle accident in 1981, the trail went cold. until brand new dna test matched to that teenage boy closing the case for good. >> thank god. she can rest in peace now. >> reporter: audrey's brother

. >> audrey marie elizabeth hurtado had been stabbed to death. >> reporter: sketches of a young man spotted with audrey the day she went missing while in buena vista visiting family was all investigators had to work with back then. now, new dna technology is helping them to close the case. >> the day audrey hurtado's body was found on july 28, 1977 ... >> reporter: chuck hampton was police chief when the murder happened. >> every member of the buena four of us, were committed to doing everything possible to investigate this case to the best of our ability. >> reporter: investigators say a 15-year-old boy only identified as ck was also on the suspect list. but, when he died in a motorcycle accident in 1981, the trail went cold. until brand new dna test matched to that teenage boy closing the case for good. >> thank god. she can rest in peace now. >> reporter: audrey's brother even though the pain consumed him over the years. >> finally. i would like to apologize. excuse me. to the hurtado family for not being able to close this case 39 years ago. >> reporter: an emotion mall close to a murde

audrey marie elizabeth hurtado's body was found three days after she disappeared in 1977. her body was found in central colorado in buena vista. matt kroschel, her family waited a long time for this day. >> reporter: karen, it was extremely emotional here today victim's family and those police officers were here to make the announcement. they say they are thankful that these police officers never gave up. on this case. it was front page news in 1977. >> this occurred 39 years ago. >> reporter: a small town rocked by a gruesome murder. >> audrey hurtado had stabbed to death. >> reporter: a young man she was seen while visiting family was all they had to work with. now, dna technology is helping them to close the case. >> the day audrey hurtado's body was found july 28, 1977,. >> reporter: chuck harp thompson was police chief when it happened. >> all four of us were committed to doing everything >> reporter: a 15-year-old boy only identified as ck was also on the suspect list. but, when he died in a motorcycle accident in 1981, the trail went cold. until brand new dna test m

the killer has been identified nearly 40 years later. 17-year-old audrey marie elizabeth hurtado was stabbed to death in buena vista in 1977. a 15-year-old boy at the time only identified as ck became the prime suspect. but there wasn't enough evidence ck died in a motorcycle accident in 1981. but, recently, investigators retested evidence using new dna technology and found a match. it was an emotional close to this murder mystery. >> finally, i would like to apologize. excuse me. to the hurtado family for not being able to close this case 39 years ago. saying audrey can now rest in peace. >>> developing tonight, a thief caught stealing a package off the porch and investigators believe he has been hitting homes all across the metro area. stan bush joins us live tonight. stan, this guy works fast. >> reporter: so fast, karen and this thief knows the neighborhood well. finding homes with pack annals out front. he would grab one and take off as quickly as heck could an get away from the homeowner was recording when this man jumped out of a white car walking straight up to the front porc

the killer has been identified nearly 40 years later. 17-year-old audrey marie elizabeth hurtado was stabbed to death in buena vista in 1977. a 15-year-old boy at the time only identified as ck became the prime suspect. but there wasn't enough evidence to arrest him. ck died in a motorcycle accident in 1981. technology and found a match. it was an emotional close to this murder mystery. >> finally, i would like to apologize. excuse me. to the hurtado family for not being able to close this case 39 years ago. >> reporter: the victim's family thanked investigators were not giving up on the case saying audrey can now rest in peace. >>> developing tonight, caught stealing a package off the porch and investigators believe he has been hitting homes all across the metro area. stan bush joins us live tonight. stan, this guy works fast. >> reporter: so fast, karen and this thief knows the neighborhood well. finding homes with pack annals out front. he would grab one and take off as quickly as heck could an get away from the area. the homeowner was recording when this man jumped out of a white