LINK

Death on Reservoir Ridge: On September 10th, 2023 a man was shot while on a morning hike; Who Killed Paul Gallenstein?

Paul Gallenstein was born August 4^(th), 1959, in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest of five children. His early years were spent in North Andover, Massachusetts, before his family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado at age 14. There he received both his secondary and undergraduate education, graduating from Colorado State University with a BS in Economics in 1981. In the summer of 1987, he was married to his wife Cindy.

By all accounts, Paul was an amiable, god-fearing man, who was passionate about fly-fishing. He had an entrepreneurial spirit, founding an over 55 gated community, Sunflower Active Adult Community, with his wife. Though he had no children of his own, he was known to mentor young adults in both professional and recreational settings.

On the morning of September 10^(th), 2023, Paul was looking forward to a fly-fishing trip scheduled for early October and had plans to watch the Broncos football game with his wife that afternoon. He’d had a procedure done on his heart three weeks prior but was recovering well and cleared by his doctor for physical activity.

Spontaneously, he decided to take a solo hike—something he was known to do. Driving five miles from his house, he headed to the popular Foothills Trail. This trail winds along Fort Collins’s Horsetooth Reservoir. It’s a very popular spot, with the reservoir and its surrounding areas seeing an estimated one million visitors per year. And with the lot Paul parked in being a mere ten-minute drive from downtown, it’s far from out of the way.

Yet somehow, no one saw what happened to him.

At 10:18am a call was placed to emergency services. Two passersby, a female cyclist and male runner, came across Paul’s body on the trail, around Skyline Picnic Area. He was found dead due to multiple gunshot wounds. Where and how many have not been released to the public.

No weapon was found at the scene. Nothing was missing from Paul’s body, or from his vehicle. According to the two witnesses, they saw no one else on the trail and heard no gunshots. After questioning, both have been cleared. Authorities have gone on record stating they have no suspects or persons of interest, as well as no motive.

Of course, suicide has been considered to be an option. However, Paul had no known money troubles, marital issues, or other concerns. Baring his recent procedure, he was in good health. Loved ones state he was vocally opposed to the act of suicide. Even putting all that aside, no weapon was found at the scene, and his death has always been considered a homicide.

This case is local to me. I first learned of it through the billboards posted around town and was so shocked that something like this happened in my own backyard. These are the stories I read on the internet, not the things that happen in my own life. I suppose it just goes to show that it really can happen to anyone.

When asked about finding her husband's killer, Cindy Gallenstein had this to say: “The very first time I met with the investigator, I told him, ‘if I don’t find out the who, what and why, that will do me in.’ I just want justice for Paul.”

If you have any information about Paul Gallenstein’s death, or were in the area of Horsetooth Reservoir on September 10^(th), 2023, between the hours of 9am and 11am, you are urged to contact the tip line at 970-498-7331 or submit a secure online tip at [LINK ](LINK

Sources:

[LINK ](LINK

[LINK ](LINK

[LINK ](LINK

I walk my dog every morning and have been on this trail a few times. Sad that this case will probably never be solved unless someone speaks up.