That’s a question that has been festering on the minds of the Dotson family and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. It’s been 19 years since U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Nonnie Dotson, 33, disappeared after she paid a visit to her brother in Littleton, a few miles away from Denver, Colorado.
Dotson, who flew in on a commercial aircraft from Lackland Air Force Base in Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas, told family members she was walking to a nearby shopping center, which was the last time anyone saw her alive.
Alarmed, the family reported Dotson, a mother of a 14-month-old daughter, missing to the police. At first, Colorado authorities brushed the family off and claimed the victim was an adult who could show up later. Disregarding the officers’ advice, the family initiated an unsuccessful search that got the attention of the local media outlets.
According to FOX 31, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) believed that since Dotson didn’t have a car, she was on foot, or someone had given her a ride. Dotson never returned to active duty and neither boarded her scheduled flight back to Texas. Despite several manhours and follow-ups on leads, the case went cold.
Furthermore, investigators discovered Dotson was a frequent patron of online dating sites and western/country dance clubs in both Colorado and Texas. However, the victim only drank socially and was not prone to drug use.
The family raised a $10,000 cash reward for information that would open the case wide. Despite the effort, no arrest has been made to date.
“It affects you to your core. It affects you to your soul. It changes you as a person. You lose part of your heart … and you never get it back,” said the victim’s mother, Candace, reported Project: Cold Case.
Dotson had less than four months to her retirement at the time of her disappearance.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information regarding the case to call (303) 271-0211 or (303) 271-5612 to remain anonymous.
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