A Topeka, Kan., man was arrested today and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the homicide of a Denver disco employee who died 30 years ago.
The Denver district attorney’s office charged Roderick Elias, 53, with first-degree murder after deliberation and first-degree felony murder in the death of Kristen Kay Swanson.
Elias was arrested by the Shawnee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Office in Topeka.
The 22-year-old Swanson was found on Oct. 28, 1980, lying dead across the front seat of a 1968 Chevy Malibu in the 3800 block alley between Oneida and Olive streets in northeast Denver.
Swanson, who lived at 1150 Syracuse St., had disappeared shortly after leaving work at a disco club called Summerfield’s, which was in the Ramada Inn at 3737 Quebec St.
According to investigators, Swanson borrowed a friend’s car so she could go home and change clothes before attending a party.
Her body was found by a bus driver about 7:30 a.m. in the car she had borrowed. She had been stabbed in the chest.
According to Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson, investigators working on the department’s cold case project began reviewing the circumstances surrounding Swanson’s death in March 2009. He said that as a result of the renewed investigation and technological advances, investigators identified Elias as a suspect in Swanson’s murder in January.
According to an arrest affidavit by Denver Police Sgt. Anthony Parisi, in January the Denver police cold case unit was able to find semen stains on the skirt Swanson was wearing at the time of her death.
The DNA profile from the stains was put into a national data base and a “hit” was made identifying Elias as a potential suspect.
In mid-March, the cold case unit was able to find the sex assault examination kit for Swanson. The vaginal swabs taken Swanson indicated that DNA was recovered.
The DNA profile generated by the swab matched the DNA profile of Elias, according to court documents.
According to the affidavit, Elias was paroled from Kansas to Colorado in Spring 1980 and was living with his brother in Denver.
Subsequently, Elias was arrested twice in Denver. The first arrest occurred on Aug. 22, 1980, for investigation of pimping and pandering of a child. That case was subsequently dismissed.
Eight months after Swanson’s body was found, Elias was arrested a second time in Denver. The second arrest occurred on June 14, 1981 for investigation of burglary, carrying a concealed weapon and a hold for the Department of corrections.
According to the affidavit, the burglary charge was dismissed but Elias’ parole status in Kansas was revoked and he was transported back to Kansas.
On Tuesday, Denver Detective Travis Williams conducted an interview with Elias in Topeka. According to the affidavit, Elias acknowledged he lived in Denver in 1980 but did not recognize Swanson when shown her photograph.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
