Depraved murders in family establishment showcases cruelty

BY BRYN FAWN Opinions Editor & PR Chair

Chuck E. Cheese’s prime may have come and gone, but the pizzeria and arcade chain still brings smiles to children and their families. However, a specific location in Aurora, Colorado, has a gruesome past.

A mass murder occurred Dec. 14, 1993. Nathan Dunlap was 19-years-old at the time of the murder and a former employee of that location.

Dunlap waited until late that December night, when the restaurant was preparing to close. Margaret Kohlberg, the manager for the night, had been watching the clock. It was close to 10 p.m., and a family had stayed late. Kohlberg went about her usual closing routine.

Kohlberg tallied receipts in the office in the back of the restaurant. She was responsible for four other employees that night.

Slyvia Crowell was cleaning the salad bar at the time. Crowell was doing her best with a work- life balance, as she was a full time employee and student at Metro State. Her friend and coworker, Carole Richins, just said goodbye with an “I love you!” as she clocked out.

Ben Grant was vacuuming nearby. Grant was only a junior in high school. He was cleaning up from the kids that day, vacuuming crumbs of food and little bits of trash.

Colleen O’Connor was also helping close, but was distracted at the time. On her break, only three hours prior, her parents revealed the news that they were gifting her a car.

Twenty-year-old Bobby Stephens was in the kitchen alone, scrubbing and cleaning. He was not originally scheduled for the day, but needed the extra money. Despite his young age, he had a baby waiting at home for him. It was winter time, and the holidays were soon approaching.

The five all went about their tasks, as if it was any other night. They would all soon return home to their families, and tomorrow would be on the horizon.

That is what they thought, at least. Dunlap went undetected as he entered the restaurant. He headed to the salad bar first, raising his .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol to Crowell. He held the muzzle of the gun to her ear and pulled the trigger. Crowell never realized Dunlap had come. Her body fell to the floor, and Dunlap couldn’t stomach the slaughter. He turned away as he had shot Crowell, and did not look at the gore nor her body.

Dunlap then targeted Grant. Grant had no time to respond before a bullet had entered his skull, nearly piercing his eye.

O’Connor saw Dunlap. She fell to her knees before the killer, and pleaded for her life. She held her hands up to him, her hands clenched tight into fists, as Dunlap’s gun was not far away from her head.

Dunlap showed her no mercy, despite having the opportunity to stop. He could have spared her life.

Stephens had heard