One connection between Hurd and Clifford Fordyce, the man accused of killing her: They were friends on Facebook -- an online relationship that hadn't been going on for long.
There aren't many signs of activity on Fordyce's page, at least for the average person. However, the latest entry, dated January 10, reads: "Cliff is now friends with Heather Hurd and 3 other people."
January 10 was the day before Hurd was killed by what a coroner's release describes as a "gunshot wound to the head."The Denver Post describes Fordyce, forty, as an unemployed welder with a lengthy criminal record. He was imprisoned on one occasion for burglary and assault, and on another following a conviction for neglecting an at-risk adult -- and he was due in court next month on charges from November related to alleged threats and extortion. Other beefs involved weapons and drugs.
Hurd's record wasn't clean, either. Over the years, she'd been busted for drug possession and burglary, plus drunk driving and other traffic-related matters.
Regarding Fordyce's arrest for Hurd's slaying, the Post cites a witness mentioned in a probable cause statement who told cops he saw the suspect run from the apartment and ask him to call 911 shortly after sounds of arguing and three gunshots.
When Fordyce was taken to police HQ, he's said to have had blood on his socks and pants. He remains in custody at this writing, on suspicion of first-degree murder.
Continue for our previous coverage, including a graphic showing the area near the crime scene. Original post, 12:58 p.m. January 14: Late Friday night, gunfire erupted at the Cavendish, an apartment building located on the 1300 block of Pearl Street.At this writing, we don't know the name of the victim. But the identity of the man arrested for suspicion of committing the crime has been released. He's Clifford Fordyce, forty.
The details shared thus far by the Denver Police Department are basic in the extreme. At 11:50 p.m. on Friday, January 11, according to the DPD, officers responded to a call of shots fired at the Cavendish, 1317 Pearl.
Upon their arrival, they discovered a female victim suffering from what's described as an apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Fordyce was busted in relation to the killing, but the cops haven't said where or when at this point, and neither has his mug shot been released thus far. He was transported to Denver jail for investigation of first-degree murder.
Look below to see an interactive graphic of the area near the scene. If you have problems seeing the image, click "View Larger Map."
View Larger Map
More from our Mile High Murder archive: "Forty Denver homicides in 2012: See where they happened."
