Joseph Corbett Jr. (October 25, 1928 – August 24, 2009) was an American fugitive, murderer, and prison escapee who, in 1960, was placed on the FBI's 10 most wanted list after

kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...

and murdering Adolph Coors III, heir to the

Coors Coors Brewing Company, or Coors, is now part of the Molson Coors Beverage Company. Coors may also refer to: Companies *Adolph Coors Company, a former holding company controlled by the heirs of founder Adolph Coors *Coors Brewers, the UK arm of th ...

beer fortune. A native of Seattle and a

Fulbright scholar The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

, Corbett was arrested in Canada after spending seven months on the run. He was convicted of murdering Coors and sentenced to

life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...

. Eventually released on parole, Corbett died by suicide in 2009.

First murder and escape

On January 13, 1951, Corbett, then a student at the University of California, was arrested and charged with the December 22, 1950, shooting death and robbery of Air Force Sergeant Allen Lee Reed. Corbett was arrested while driving a stolen car, and a gun that matched the type used in the killing was found in the car. Initially pleading not guilty to the murder, Corbett changed his plea to guilty to the charge of second degree murder. Corbett was sentenced to five years to life imprisonment for the murder and was initially sent to

San Quentin State Prison San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the ...

. Corbett was later transferred to a low security section of California Institution for Men in Chino, from which he escaped with another prisoner on August 1, 1955.

Murder of Adolph Coors

March 2017- Coors Kidnapping Ransom Note (33460504411)

On the morning of February 9, 1960, Adolph Coors III, the 45-year-old CEO and chairman of the board of the Coors brewery, left his house for work, but never arrived. A delivery man found Coors' station wagon abandoned, and blood droplets were found nearby. Corbett was implicated, and the FBI began a manhunt that spanned from California to

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

, and eventually to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In March 1960, the FBI added Corbett to its Ten Most Wanted list. On September 11, 1960, Coors' remains were found in the local forest, with two bullet wounds in his back. Corbett was arrested on October 29, 1960 in Vancouver by Canadian police. The FBI had issued wanted poster-style photo copies, and a woman called in, stating a man of his description was in her area. Afterwards, the Vancouver police saw his car parked outside a motor inn. He was extradited back to the U.S. Since the kidnap and murder occurred in Colorado, the state charged Corbett with murder. On March 29, 1961, Corbett was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was paroled and released from prison on December 12, 1980. In 1996, Corbett gave his only interview following his release from prison; in it, he maintained his innocence. Corbett committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

by a single gunshot wound in the head on August 24, 2009.

References

External links

A Look Back at the Coors Kidnapping Case (FBI)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Joseph 1928 births 2009 suicides American kidnappers American people convicted of murder American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment Fugitives People convicted of murder by California People convicted of murder by Colorado People paroled from life sentence Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by California Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Colorado Suicides by firearm in Colorado 2009 deaths