50 Cases: #6 - Colorado - Joe Michael Ervin

This post is part of our 50 Cases of America series. View more cases in this series here.

Quick Facts

Nicknames or Aliases:

Offender Status: Committed suicide before trial

MO: Shooting and stabbing

Timespan of Crimes: 1969-1981

Case Status: Closed

Number of Victims: 6

Victims: Madeleine Furey-Livaudais, Delores Barajas, Gwendolyn Harris, Antoinette Parks, and Debra Sue Corr.

Location of Crimes: Colorado, Texas

Summary of Joe Michael Ervin’s Crimes

In 1981, Joe Michael Ervin was pulled over by police officer Debra Sue Corr, who suspected Ervin was driving under the influence. Ervin shot Officer Corr execution-style and shot a good samaritan who stopped to help. They were his last victims before he was arrested at his Denver home.

He never faced trial because he hanged himself.

Ervin was a suspect in four additional cold cases, but it wasn't until DNA and genealogy testing that he was named the main offender.