Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw announced an arrest in two cold case homicides dating back to 1982 at a news conference held at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
Alan Lee Phillips of Dumont, Colorado has been arrested in the murders of Barbara Jo Oberholtzer and Annette Kay Schnee in January 1982.
Both Oberholtzer and Schnee were last seen hitchhiking outside of the town of Breckenridge on January 6, 1982. The women were not together. Olberholtzer’s body was found on the summit of Hoosier Pass the day after her disappearance. Ms. Schnee’s body was located six months after her disappearance in a rural area in Park County in July 1982. Both women had been shot.
“I am honored to make this important announcement after nearly 40 years have passed since these murders took place,” said Park County Sheriff Tom McGrath. “This arrest is the culmination of technology, extraordinary police work, and an unwavering commitment to justice for Bobbie Jo, Annette and their families.”
In 2020, in partnership with local, state and federal law enforcement, Metro CrimeStoppers and United Data Connect, new information was developed with genetic genealogy to identify a potential suspect in the case. Following comprehensive investigative work, arrest warrants for Alan Lee Phillips were obtained in February 2021.
Phillips was taken into custody in Clear Creek County on February 24, 2021, without incident. He’s being held at the Park County Jail at this time.
Phillips faces the following charges:
- First Degree Kidnapping (2 counts)
- First Degree Assault (2 counts)
- First Degree Homicide (2 counts)
Republished courtesy of Park County Sheriff's Office. Photo credit: PCSO