A Christmas Eve Murder at a Brothel in Northern Colorado: What Happened?

Whether you're soaking up the sun at Horsetooth or enjoying a beer on a brewery patio, it's no secret that Fort Collins is a beautiful place to live. Unfortunately, the "Choice City" is also no stranger to mayhem and murder.

There are currently 15 unsolved cold cases in Larimer County alone; however, authorities did catch the killer in Fort Collins' first murder — but what happened?

It all went down on Christmas Eve in 1881, a year when Fort Collins was notorious for its "undesirable" residents, according to Fort Collins History Connection (FCHC). The charming Old Town we know was far from a reality, and brothels and gambling houses abounded.

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Northern Colorado History reports that, on this particular night, Albert Sherwood decided to visit a brothel along North Meldrum Street. The publication believes that another visitor, William Lindville, said something to upset Sherwood sometime during the night, promptly sending him into a rage.

Sherwood began beating Lindville with a pitcher. Lindville drew his pistol and, after a bout of chaotic gunfire, left Sherwood in the kitchen with a gunshot wound to the head.

Sherwood passed away at his place of work on Christmas Day, his death marking the first murder in Fort Collins. Lindville, commonly known as Tex, confessed to the crime, but authorities let him go, claiming that the shooting was in self-defense.

Although Sherwood's murder was the Choice City's first, it was far from the only one. In 1907, someone killed Officer Joseph Allen while he was patrolling "The Jungles" — another "undesirable" community in Fort Collins. His case remains unsolved to this day.