Cold Case Quest: Denise Collins and Thax Winston, Jr.

Who would want to end the lives of Denise Collins and Thax Winston, Jr.?

The pair were romantically involved. Unfortunately, their relationship came to an abrupt end in 2005. Collins and Winston were shot while at Winston’s apartment on 4th Avenue in Columbus, Ohio. The incident happened prior to 6 p.m. on January 14, 2005.

It is possible that at least one of the victims knew the killer. Collins and Winston were each shot once in the head, which is more like an execution-style killing. The motive for the homicides is unclear. So far this case has not been connected to other cases.

Apparently, Winston ran a speakeasy out of his home. It was not a big secret. Most of the neighbors were aware. Was the killer a customer that wanted revenge for whatever reason?

Was it a business deal that went wrong? If I had to guess, I would say that the homicides of Collins and Winston had something to do with money and greed. I think that the killer is someone that would benefit in some way — most likely a financial gain -from the deaths of Collins and Winston. So who benefits financially from their deaths?

Even after many years, people are afraid to come forward with information in murder investigations. No witnesses have come forward yet. Hopefully, someone will call the Columbus Police or Crime Stoppers with useful information. If anyone witnessed anything at anytime on January 14, 2005, please call one of the numbers listed below.

Who to contact:

Originally published at http://chasingdestino.com on June 23, 2020.