Baker, Father, Husband, Killer: Northglenn Man Hid In Plain Sight For 40 Years
NORTHGLENN, Colo. (CBS4) - Neighbors knew Jeffrey Cauble as a baker, a husband, a father and a guy you could call on to help with your household projects. They now know him as a convicted killer who lived in their midst for decades, hiding an awful secret.
"I considered him a friend, I really did," said Rob Schurr, who lived across the street from Cauble for two decades. "You think you know people, but you don't know people," lamented Schurr, after learning a jury in California had convicted Cauble of second degree murder for the 1979 stabbing death of Craig Wooley in San Diego.
"That's appalling," said Schurr.
In 1979, Cauble was a 21-year-old Marine stationed near San Diego at Camp Pendleton, California. Cauble became friendly with Craig Wooley, a 32-year-old cab driver.
On Feb. 5, 1979, Wooley was found stabbed to death in his home. Although detectives found Cauble's name and contact information written on a napkin at Wooley's home, he was never pursued as a suspect and months after the murder, Wooley's death became a "cold case."
Cauble went on to marry, become a father and eventually settled in Northglenn in 1999. Neighbors said he was a baker at various grocery stores and enjoyed cars and riding motorcycles.
"He always said hi. He was a nice guy," recalled Lynn Schurr, as she stood in her driveway. But last spring, neighbors noticed Cauble wasn't around. "One day he was here, the next day he wasn't," said Rob. Lynn asked Cauble's wife where he was. She said the woman told her, "Jeff moved out."
There was quite a bit more to the story.
A cold case detective in San Diego had begun reexamining the Wooley murder. Fingerprint technology had advanced as had the science of DNA. Police determined DNA at the Wooley murder scene belonged to Jeff Cauble. Last year, San Diego investigators arrested Cauble with the assistance of the Adams County Sheriff.
"The Adams County Sheriff's Office was proud to assist the San Diego Law Enforcement Agencies bring closure in the Jeffrey Cauble case. With the help of DNA technology and determination from law enforcement, justice has prevailed," said Adams County Sheriff Richard Reigenborn.
After his arrest, authorities recorded a phone conversation between Cauble and his wife. A San Diego news account said Cauble told his wife, "I killed a man. He drugged me and raped me and stole my money."
Cauble was also reported to have told an undercover officer, posing as a cellmate, that he had been drugged and raped in Wooley's home, leading to a fight and Cauble said, "I got the better of him."
A jury convicted Cauble of second degree murder. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 7. His legal team is asking for a new trial. Cauble faces a potential sentence of 16 years to life according to prosecutor Melissa Vasel.
"I can't imagine having that in your background and living a normal life," said Rob Schurr.
Several of Jeff Cauble's relatives in Colorado told CBS4 they stood behind him and believed he would ultimately be exonerated. None wanted to be interviewed.
Three of Craig Wooley's relatives live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and spoke to CBS4 about the case that was forgotten for so many years. His brother, Kent, said after decades of living with a "cold case,", he was surprised to learn a detective was again investigating, and even more surprised to learn an arrest was made in the case.
"The D.A. called and said we believe we have the man, which was quite a surprise." Kent Wooley described his brother -- a Navy veteran -- as compassionate.
Tim Graham, one of Craig Wooley's nephews, said he was "grateful and thankful" that his uncle was not forgotten. "They cared and worked on it year after year for many years. We are just grateful they worked on it and were able to prosecute and get a conviction."
John Whited, another of Craig Wooley's nephews, said his uncle was gay, and said Wooley "was robbed of the opportunity to work out very difficult personal issues in a world that is much more friendly and much more open to that today."
He expressed gratitude to cold case investigators in San Diego who pursued the Wooley case who "actually cared with no real reason to care. That meant a lot to me personally. Real gratitude.The thing I would like this fellow (Cauble) to know is that he -- Craig -- was alone in San Diego, but he wasn't alone in life, and he was a son, and he was a brother and he was our uncle. So he didn't just kill some random person, he killed somebody that meant something."