A day after the August 10 car crash in which he was presumed to have died, Weld County Sheriff’s officials found the body of a Keenesburg man after a day-long search of the area.
The body of 18-year-old Carlos Retana was found at the intersection of Weld County Road 59 and Weld County 10 around 5 p.m. on August 11. That’s about a mile north of Weld County Road 59 from the crash that reportedly killed him, according to an August 13 news release.
According to the sheriff’s office, Retana crashed into a fence at 12:44 a.m. on August 10. Officials said the Weld County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash at the intersection of Weld County Road 59 and Weld County Road 8. Retana was not in the car when the deputy arrived to investigate.
Retana was reported missing to the sheriff’s office later that afternoon from his home in Keenesburg. Officials said the report was received at 3:45 p.m. on August 10.
Police returned at 6:47 p.m. and began searching the area around County Roads 59 and 8, using a drone equipped with wide-angle and infrared lenses to assist.
The Weld County Coroner was called to the scene the next day and identified a body found about a mile north — on County Roads 59 and 10 — as Retana’s. The coroner’s office is working to determine the cause of death and is conducting toxicology tests.
According to the press release, the sheriff’s office faced criticism online for not using police dogs to assist in the search. But officials said the crash scene was already contaminated by human scent from the several people searching for Retana, making it difficult for police dogs to pick up his scent.
No further information is being provided as this is an active, ongoing investigation. For more details or to provide information, email [email protected] and contact us at 970-400-2802.
