Harold “Hap” Enander first built an elaborate water-heating system for his recreational vehicle in his garage a quarter century ago.
He later founded a company that shipped products to China for the Olympics and retrofitted a $1 million recreational vehicle for Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
On Friday, Hap and his wife, Velva Sue Enander, were identified as the victims of homicide by Adams County coroner James Hibbard.
The cause of death was “blunt trauma,” including gunshots, Hibbard’s release said.
Adams County sheriff’s officials continue to investigate the case. No suspects have been arrested, said Candy Baker, sheriff’s spokeswoman, but they do not think the two deaths were the result of a murder-suicide.
A search warrant was issued at the house at about 7 p.m. Thursday.
A neighbor, Linda Higgins, had not heard from Sue Enander and went to check on her about 9 a.m. Thursday. She spotted Sue Enander on the floor of the home near Hudson, which was covered with blood, and then called police.
Hap Enander founded Aqua-Hot Heating Systems, a Fort Lupton company that retrofits heating systems in higher-end recreation vehicles and employs about 65 people.
The company was closed Friday.
Hap Enander was the treasurer for his church. The Enanders had been married for about three years.
According to a 2005 article in the Northern Colorado Business Report, Enander was forced off his North Dakota ranch in 1982 because of allergy problems. He sold RV heaters for a German company and eventually invented his own heating system, the newspaper said.
Fort Lupton attorney John Dent, cqpresident of the Fort Lupton Development Corporation, said he and other community leaders toured Aqua Hot Heating Systems plant in the fall.
“It’s a very energy efficient system for high-end motor homes,” Dent said. “They have quite an operation. I was very impressed with the quality of the work they were doing.”
However, the business was hit hard by skyrocketing fuel prices, and about a quarter of the company’s employees were either laid off or weren’t replaced if they left, he said.
The company employs welders, draftsmen and computer engineers.”They were optimistic about coming back though,” Dent said.
They are developing an international clientele, he said.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
