Paul Gallenstein: Unsolved Homicide on Reservoir Ridge

The Paul Gallenstein murder remains unsolved. Gallenstein, a 64-year-old retired Fort Collins businessman, was found fatally shot on a trail near Horsetooth Reservoir on the morning of September 10, 2023, and as of 2025 the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has not identified a suspect or a motive. His family is offering up to $50,000 for information that resolves the case.¹

What Happened on the Trail

On Sunday morning, September 10, 2023, Gallenstein drove to the Michaud Lane parking lot and set out alone through the Reservoir Ridge Natural Area, west of Fort Collins. At 10:18 a.m., a female cyclist and a male runner found his body on a rocky stretch of trail about 130 yards from Centennial Drive, over a ridge that would have hidden the spot from the road below. They called law enforcement, and first responders confirmed he was dead at the scene.²

The Larimer County Coroner determined that Gallenstein died from a gunshot injury.³ Investigators believe he was killed where he was found. No weapon was recovered. The cyclist and runner were interviewed and cleared; neither reported seeing anyone else on the trail or hearing a gunshot.²

Where the Investigation Stands

Deputies searched the area with K-9 units, drones, and forensic teams. Dense shrubs and heavy rainfall in the days after the killing hampered evidence collection, and the rocky trail surface was already covered with shoe prints and mountain bike tire marks from regular use, leaving no useful footprints.²

Sgt. Rita Servin of the Sheriff’s Office said investigators have ruled out suicide based on the “totality of the case.” She also said the agency has “no information or investigative leads” suggesting that Gallenstein’s wife, Cindy, was involved. Beyond that, the office has not disclosed how many shots were fired or discussed shell casings in detail. Investigators believe the person who killed Gallenstein likely had some familiarity with the area, because reaching that remote section of trail requires knowing access points like Michaud Lane or Larimer County Road 23.⁴

The Sheriff’s Office says the case is still active and has not been classified as a cold case. Servin acknowledged in 2025 that investigators have collected a “lot of information,” but that much of it has worked to clear people rather than point to a suspect. No motive has been established, and investigators have not determined whether the killer was a stranger or someone Gallenstein knew. Deputies did contact people associated with vehicles in the Michaud Lane parking lot that morning, but those interviews produced no leads.⁴

The Reward and How to Submit a Tip

In October 2023, the Gallenstein family announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to a successful resolution of the case.¹ Cindy Gallenstein has funded a public awareness campaign across Northern Colorado, paying for roughly 30 billboards and placements on bus shelters and bus benches in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley. Some of the more recent billboards carry the message “Pray for Paul.” She has also worked with the Fort Collins Police Services Outreach Program to place tip-line labels, donated by Fort Collins-based Leapin’ Lizard Labels, on water cans the program distributes.⁴

Cindy Gallenstein has publicly addressed speculation about her own role, saying, “I have had absolutely no involvement.” She said she believes her husband was killed by a random person unknown to either of them, and she has described being unable to find closure while the case remains open, saying visits to his grave at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins bring her “questions, not peace.”⁴

Anyone with information can contact the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office tipline at (970) 498-7331 or submit a tip through the secure online portal on the Sheriff’s Office website.¹

Who Paul Gallenstein Was

Paul Joseph Gallenstein was born on August 4, 1959, in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest of five children of Bob and Marjorie Gallenstein. He grew up in North Andover, Massachusetts, moved to Colorado at age 14, graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1977, and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Colorado State University in 1981.⁵

He worked for the family business, Brady Oil, as a regional manager, then moved into insurance and securities. In 2001 he began developing the Sunflower Active Adult Community, a 188-home manufactured-housing community on 37.6 acres at 4517 East Mulberry Street in Fort Collins, through his entity American Retirement Properties LLC. In December 2016, he and Cindy sold Sunflower to the Sacramento-based firm FolletUSA for $16.2 million and retired.⁶⁵

Paul and Cindy married on August 2, 1987, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins. They did not have children. He was described as deeply religious, kept a prayer station in his home, and participated in Bible study groups. He was an avid fly fisherman and golfer and mentored younger adults in business and recreation. He is survived by Cindy and by an older brother, Tom Gallenstein, of Grand Junction, Colorado.²⁵

1
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. Paul Gallenstein Tipline
2
Fort Collins Coloradoan. Who Killed Paul Gallenstein Near Fort Collins
3
Larimer County Government. Update on Suspicious Death Investigation
4
Fort Collins Coloradoan. Colorado Widow Paul Gallenstein Waiting for Investigators to Find Her Husband’s Killer
5
Legacy.com. Paul Gallenstein Obituary
6
BizWest. California Firm Pays $16.2M for Fort Collins Mobile Home Park