On November 8, 2023, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrested Richard “Rick” Eastridge of Littleton, Colorado, for his participation in the 1981 murder of James “Jim” Ihm. The arrest was a result of numerous witness statements, evidence recovered in 1981, evidence analyzed in 2023, and Eastridge’s confession. Eastridge implicated himself and others who planned to rob Ihm of a large amount of marijuana, which ultimately resulted in the murder. On November 15, 2023, while out of custody on bond, Rick Eastridge took his own life.
On February 20, 1981, Jim Ihm planned to meet Rick Eastridge and others at the Brazenhead Inn in Woodland Park. They planned to meet to finalize the details of Ihm’s sale of a large amount of marijuana and were going to travel to a secluded area to complete the transaction. On March 8, 1981, Ihm’s body was found in unincorporated Douglas County near Fern Creek Road, approximately one mile east of Colorado Highway 67.
We want to thank the following agencies for their assistance in advancing this investigation to where it is today: the Teller County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Unified Forensic Laboratory, and the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin.
On the eve of the 43rd year since the discovery of Ihm’s body, we are seeking the public’s assistance with bringing this case to a final resolution. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at coldcasetips@dcsheriff.net or 303-660-7528.
