In 2020 the Jefferson County, Colorado Sheriff announced that a suspect had been named in a 57-year-old cold case, the oldest case solved, to date, using investigative genetic genealogy. Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Beck was sexually assaulted and strangled at a secluded Girl Scout camp in August, 1963. The Evidence Speaks takes a deeper dive into the crime, and the disappearance, of James Raymond Taylor.

In 1963, investigators had only circumstantial evidence to aid in identifying possible suspects in Peggy’s attack and murder. However, the camp caretaker was immediately under suspicion, despite his age and solid alibi. It’s long been believed that the caretaker was the only male at the camp the night of the murder. For the first time in more than 58 years, a new witness speaks out about what he saw at the camp that night, and discusses how the murder impacted his grandfather.

Our thanks to:

• Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
• Mitch Morrissey, United Data Connect
• Steve Stuart
• Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA) PBS station, oeta.tv

In the early morning hours of August 18, 1963, 16-year-old Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Beck was viciously attacked in her tent at the Flying G Ranch, a remote Girl Scout camp in the mountains of Colorado. The initial investigation faced numerous challenges to crime scene investigators and detectives. Yet, a key piece of evidence was recovered that, 57 years later, would speak for Peggy.

Credits:

• Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
• Mitch Morrissey, United Data Connect