On May 17, 2009, The Latest Word launched the Mile High Murderarchive. Today marks MHM's fourth anniversary, and as is clear from the following compilation of cases we've covered over the previous 365 days, it's been a very grim year.

Example: Last year on this date, the archive's total was 49. This year, it's 77 -- so many that in order to include interactive maps, videos or photos from each, we had to break the list into two sections. See part two below, and click to access part one.

A couple of things to note at the outset. First of all, the big jump in the total isn't solely attributable to the Aurora theater shooting, in which twelve people died (including promising sports reporter Jessica Ghawi, seen above), or the massacre at Fero's Bar and Grill, where five people lost their lives. Subtract those numbers and the sum is still eleven higher than in year three.

Also worthy of note: The list starts at 79 because somewhere along the way, the count got confused; there's no 34 or 37. It's possible that something originally thought to have been a murder turned out to be something else and the posts in question were given new, headline-free numbers. But it's just as likely that we simply lost track amid the shocking number of killings -- another indication of how tough the past twelve months have been.

Here's part two of the list, complete with links to our original coverage.

Number 38: "Homicide investigation over dead man found on Jewell Avenue in Aurora (38)."

Number 37: ?

Number 36: "Tisihia Allen charged with stabbing murder of Darius Norris in Aurora (36)."

Number 35: "Matthew Gianopoulos ID'd as victim in Green Valley Ranch homicide (35)."

Number 34: ?

Number 33: "German Medina, knife lover, still missing but charged with murder of Bertha Garcia (33)."

Number 32: "Zachary Sare murdered near home on 24th birthday (32)."

Continue for more of our post "77 homicides in year four of Mile High Murder: See where they happened." Number 31: "Demetrius Trujillo busted in Northglenn murder of Christopher Garduno (31)."

Number 30: "Israel Hernandez ID'd in Josephine Street homicide near Harrington Elementary (30)."

Number 29: "Robert Trujillo under protection order for Natasha Carrillo when she was murdered (29)."

Number 28: "Kenneth Elmgreen bloody, lacerated...and arrested for murder of elderly dad (28)."

Number 27, 26, 225, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17 and 16: "Photos: The twelve Aurora theater shooting victims (16-27)."

Number 15: "Aurora homicide near Moline Street sixth in city since Memorial Day weekend (15)."

Continue for more of our post "77 homicides in year four of Mile High Murder: See where they happened." Number 14: "Aurora homicide (near East Second & Peoria?) doesn't appear to be gang-related (14)."

Number 13: "Jonathan Petty ID'd as victim in Aurora homicide on East Ohio Avenue (13)."

Number 12: "Rollin Oliver: First-degree murder/extreme indifference charge in Celena Hollis murder (12)."

Number 11: "Ernesto Rodriguez-Rodriguez ID'd as victim in Aurora's Abrigo Apartments murder (11)."

Number 10: "Nakie Pratt busted for fatally stabbing aunt in the neck (10)."

Number 9: "Jamie Valdiviezo-Perera bust: Pumas, a tiger blanket and murder of El Cholo (9)."

Number 8: "Two dead on East 52nd Avenue in Commerce City: Homicide investigation underway (8)."

Continue for more of our post "77 homicides in year four of Mile High Murder: See where they happened." Number 7: "duRozz Lounge homicide: One dead, one wounded after shots fired in parking lot (7)."

Number 6: "Shooting in car near East Alameda and Ironton Street leaves man dead (6)."

Number 5: "Richard Nack: What's medical marijuana caregiver status got to do with his murder? (5)."

Number 4 and 3: "Justin O'Donnell slaying: Denzel Richardson, Marquise Davis charged with murder one (3, 4)."

Number 2: "Donald Schaffer ID'd as killer of Joyce, wife of 43 years, in Wheatridge Manor murder-suicide (2)."

Number 1: "Joyeria Alondra owner killed in apparent robbery in Commerce City(1)."

More from our Mile High Murder archive: "49 homicides in year three of Mile High Murder: See where they happened."

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