Colorado Bureau of Investigations
There are some stories that leave you unsettled long after you’ve finished reading the case file. They linger because they challenge everything we believe about safety, trust, and human nature.
The murder of Oakey “Al” Kite is one of those stories.
Unlike many homicide victims, Al wasn’t involved in a dangerous lifestyle. He wasn’t surrounded by violence. He wasn’t living a double life.
He was simply trying to rent out a room.
And somewhere out there walks the man who may have planned every horrifying detail from the very beginning.
A New Chapter
It was the spring of 2004 in Aurora, Colorado.
Fifty-three-year-old Oakey Albert “Al” Kite Jr. had recently gone through changes in his life. Friends described him as dependable, kind, and incredibly responsible. He worked as an engineering project manager and rarely missed work.
Like many homeowners, Al decided to rent out the basement apartment in his townhouse to help with expenses.
He placed an advertisement.
Someone answered.
The prospective tenant introduced himself as Robert Cooper.
He claimed he had recently moved to Colorado for a banking job with Wells Fargo.
He seemed polite.
Professional.
Prepared.
He even completed a rental application.
Everything looked legitimate.
Only later would investigators discover that nearly every detail he provided was fake. (FBI)
The Last Weekend
On May 22, 2004, Al’s girlfriend left town on a trip.
She spoke with him after arriving safely.
Nothing sounded unusual.
No fear.
No panic.
No indication that this would be the last conversation anyone would have with him. (forensictales.com)
Monday Morning
When Monday arrived, Al never showed up for work.
That alone raised alarms.
His coworkers knew him well enough to understand something was terribly wrong.
Calls went unanswered.
Eventually police conducted a welfare check.
Walking through the home, everything upstairs appeared normal.
Nothing looked out of place.
Then officers reached the basement.
What they found remains one of the most disturbing crime scenes in Colorado history.
Al had been bound.
He had been beaten.
He had been tortured.
Finally, he was stabbed to death with knives taken from his own kitchen. Detectives have publicly described the scene as one of the worst they had ever investigated. (CBS News)
A Killer Who Planned Ahead
This wasn’t a robbery gone wrong.
Investigators quickly realized the killer appeared organized.
Extremely organized.
After murdering Al, the suspect stole his wallet, truck, debit card, and cell phone.
He attempted to withdraw money using Al’s ATM card while hiding behind a ski mask.
The truck was later abandoned.
The cell phone was discarded in a pay phone.
Even more chilling, evidence suggested the killer spent additional time inside the home after the murder, carefully cleaning evidence in an apparent effort to frustrate investigators. (FBI)
The Man Who Never Existed
“Robert Cooper” vanished.
The Social Security number was fraudulent.
The address was false.
The employment information was fabricated.
Witnesses offered similar—but imperfect—descriptions.
A white male.
Approximately 5’10”.
Dark hair.
Possibly in his forties or fifties.
Some believed he walked with a limp and carried a cane.
Others remembered what sounded like an Eastern European or Romanian accent.
Despite extensive investigation, no one has ever identified him. (FBI)
DNA… But No Name
One of the most frustrating aspects of this investigation is that detectives do have DNA believed to belong to the killer.
Years later, Aurora Police partnered with Parabon NanoLabs to create a DNA phenotype image showing what the suspect may have looked like at a younger age.
Even with advances in forensic science, genealogy, and DNA analysis, the suspect’s identity remains unknown. (CBS News)
My Theory
As someone studying Criminal Justice, I don’t believe Al was chosen because of who he was.
I believe he was chosen because he was available.
The room-for-rent advertisement may have acted like a hunting ground for someone searching for a vulnerable homeowner who lived alone.
Several factors make me think this wasn’t the killer’s first violent crime.
First, the false identity was remarkably sophisticated.
Second, he appeared comfortable manipulating victims face-to-face.
Third, he demonstrated awareness of forensic evidence and surveillance, taking deliberate steps to reduce the amount of trace evidence he left behind.
Most offenders who commit spontaneous homicides don’t exhibit this level of planning.
The torture is another important behavioral clue.
From a criminology standpoint, prolonged torture often suggests psychological gratification, dominance, or sadistic motivations rather than financial gain alone. The theft of Al’s belongings may have been secondary—perhaps intended to delay the investigation, stage the crime, or simply exploit the opportunity after the murder.
I also wonder whether “Robert Cooper” had rehearsed this process before. Investigators have indicated he may have viewed multiple rental properties before selecting Al, suggesting a level of victim selection inconsistent with an impulsive attack. (forensictales.com)
If that’s true, then Al may not have been the intended victim until he happened to be the one who opened the door.
That possibility is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the case.
The Questions That Still Haunt This Case
Twenty-two years later, investigators are still searching for answers.
- Who was “Robert Cooper”?
- Was the Eastern European accent genuine—or an intentional disguise?
- Has this man killed before or since?
- Did he specifically seek homeowners renting rooms?
- Does someone today know him under a completely different name?
One person knows every answer.
And somewhere, someone may recognize the face behind the FBI composite.
Remembering Al
It is easy to become fascinated by mysterious suspects and elaborate theories.
But at the center of this case was a man remembered by friends and coworkers as dependable, generous, and hardworking.
Al Kite deserved to grow older.
Instead, his kindness in opening his home became the opportunity a predator had been waiting for.
Until “Robert Cooper” is identified, one of Colorado’s most haunting cold cases remains unfinished.
Until every case is solved.
Cold Cases After Dark 
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