‘Halloween decorations’: Colorado’s cold case gets cracked after years. The answer was sitting in the garage the whole time

A Colorado missing-persons case that baffled investigators for seven years took a dramatic turn when human remains found at the home of Terri Ann Ackerman were identified as hers on October 22, 2025. Details about where her remains were found, however, raise questions about the case.

According to The Denver Post, the breakthrough came on September 10, 2025, when human remains were discovered during a cleanup at a property in Lochbuie, Colorado, where Ackerman was last seen. A contractor hired to clear a detached garage noticed what he thought were Halloween decorations, but soon recognized it as a human bone and alerted authorities.

While the discovery brings a measure of closure, many questions remain. The cause and manner of Ackerman’s death have not yet been released, as forensic testing and autopsy procedures are still in progress. Meanwhile, the investigation remains active, and the Lochbuie Police Department continues to seek any additional information from the public.

Family members have expressed both relief and frustration. One close relative commented that the remains being located so close to her home raised troubling questions about how the search missed it for so long. Investigators have not publicly named any suspects or filed charges.

What happened to Terri Ann Ackerman?

Delbert “Dale” Ackerman, Ackerman’s husband, told police that on the morning of August 24, 2018, he left the couple’s home in Lochbuie while his wife was still in bed and returned later to find her gone, though her purse, keys, cellphone, and car were still there. Dale died of cancer in 2022.

At the time of her disappearance, she was 56 years old and had been prescribed medication for bipolar disorder and depression. Family members told investigators she had been upset the night before she vanished and had concerns about babysitting her grandchildren.

Despite exhaustive efforts by the Lochbuie Police Department and allied search and rescue teams, including cadaver dogs, drones, multiple agency involvement, and extensive interviews, Ackerman remained missing. The department acknowledged that they had searched in and around her home and the surrounding areas, but few leads developed.

While some media articles and commentary note that Delbert was a subject of suspicion—or at least raised questions by family members—he was never publicly named as an official suspect by law enforcement, and no charges were filed against him in connection with Ackerman’s disappearance.

According to Daily Mail, with Ackerman’s remains now identified, Ackerman’s son, Delbert’s stepson, Sean Ackerman, said, “All of her clothing was exactly where it was. Everything that she had on the bed was still on the bed. He still slept on half a bed that he hadn’t cleaned for seven years. Her pictures were there, everything was there. I just know if my dad would have known she was there, it would have killed him before the cancer did.”