Kenia Yulissa Monge

Kenia Monge’s Murder Timeline

1. April 1, 2011: Kenia Monge, a 19-year-old woman from Aurora, Colorado, goes missing after leaving a nightclub in downtown Denver with friends.
2. April 7, 2011: Monge’s family and friends organize a search party to look for her. The police are also notified and begin their investigation.
3. April 8, 2011: Travis Forbes, a local handyman, contacts the police and admits to being with Monge the night she disappeared. He claims that he dropped her off at a nearby gas station and that she was picked up by someone else.
4. April 9, 2011: Forbes is arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant for providing false information to police. He is not charged in connection with Monge’s disappearance.
5. April 13, 2011: Monge’s family holds a press conference, pleading for her safe return. The police release photos of Forbes and ask for the public’s help in identifying him.
6. April 14, 2011: Forbes is arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murder in connection with Monge’s disappearance. He confesses to killing her and leads police to her body, which is found in a shallow grave near Keenesburg, Colorado.
7. April 15, 2011: Forbes is formally charged with first-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping in connection with Monge’s death.
8. August 11, 2011: Forbes pleads guilty to first-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping in a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. He is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
9. December 5, 2013: Forbes is indicted on charges of attempting to strangle and sexually assault another woman, Lydia Tillman, in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 2010. He is later convicted and sentenced to 48 years in prison.
10. July 13, 2017: Forbes is found dead in his prison cell at the Limon Correctional Facility in Colorado. The cause of death is determined to be suicide.

Kenia Monge was a teenager from Honduras and she was abducted, sexually assaulted, and killed by Travis Forbes. The murderer also tried to kill another woman, Lydia Tillman, after killing Kenia Monge.

Kenia Yulissa Monge’s background

Kenia Monge was born in Honduras on 26th January 1992. She was the first child of Tony Lee and Maria and interestingly, her mother was just 15 years old when she gave birth to her. Kenia Monge moved to the largest city in the United States with her family when she was 12 years old.

Kenia had a charming personality and quickly made a bunch of friends in the US. She was 19 years old but she didn’t have an ID to legally consume alcohol. So, she started using a fake ID with her friends to enter clubs and bars located in downtown Denver.

Kenia Monge disappearance on March 31st, 2011

On 31st March 2011, she went to the 24K lounge with her friends and consumed too much alcohol. She needed air, so she went out of the bar where a stranger, Travis Forbes, gave her a lift.

Forbes saw a young intoxicated girl out in the street and stopped his car to give her life. He was a charming and handsome guy and Kenia got into his car. Kenia’s friends got worried when she didn’t go back to the lounge and they picked up her belongings including her cellphone and left the bar.

The next morning, Kenia’s phone received a mysterious text message that said:

“This is Travis, the person who gave you a lift last night in a white creepy van. Did you reach home safely?”

Kenia’s family became worried and reported to the police that she is missing. However, the report of Monge’s disappearance was filed after 72 hours. The authorities tracked the message and started their investigation with Travis.

Suspect Travis Forbes

He said that he gave Kenia a lift to drive her home safely but she wanted to buy cigarettes so he stopped the car at Conoco gas station. The gas station was closed and she approached a man named Dan and they started talking in Spanish. Forbes claimed that he left because Dan seemed friendly and he never saw Kenia again after that night.

However, the police found this story a bit strange and searched his van. He agreed, and as the police officers approached his van, they felt an overwhelming smell of bleach.

Travis made up that story because he was the one who killed Kenia. Instead of giving her a ride home, he took her home and sexually assaulted her because he knew that she is drunk and won’t be able to resist. The next morning Kenia became furious and slapped him for what he did.

The killer then strangled her to death and took Kenia’s body near Keenesburg, about 40 miles away from Denver.

Travis Forbes was a 31-year-old when he killed Kenia. He didn’t have a clean record because he broke into 16 different businesses and homes in Fort Collins at the age of 17. He was on probation for committing domestic violence when Kenia disappeared and it was not a good sign for authorities.

Louis Estrada, a Denver police detective said that Forbes was involved in many minor crimes before he killed Kenia. Estrada, along with detective Nash Gurule, was working on Kenia’s disappearance and found Forbes’ statements very strange.  

Investigation Details

On 5th April 2011, Monica Poole, the owner of a bakery gave CCTV footage of Travis Forbes that was recorded on April 1. It was the same place where he used to sell gluten-free granola bars to earn money. The surveillance footage showed that Forbes was wheeling a cooler. The police inspected the cooler and found one a human cell. However, it wasn’t enough to arrest him

The police took Forbes to the Denver Police Station for investigation where he repeated the same old story. He also portrayed himself as a good Samaritan and said that he went to see Kerry Humphrey, his girlfriend after leaving Kenia at Conoco gas station on April 1.

Resultantly, the police let him go and started working on finding Dan who never existed. Meanwhile, Forbes attacked another woman, Lydia Tillman but she survived and also identified him as the criminal.

He left Colorado but he was arrested in Texas when he was driving a stolen car on 4th May 2011. He was sent back to Colorado on 30th June 2011 and he made a deal with the police. He accepted that he killed Kenia and said that he’ll tell everything if they don’t label him as a sex offender and give him a prison sentence instead of the death penalty. The police agreed and he led them to a small grove of trees to find Monge’s remains in Keenesburg on 7th September 2011.

Travis Forbes Trial and Verdict

Travis pleaded guilty on 26th September 2011 to the first-degree murder for killing Kenia Monge. He also confessed to the sex assault on Lydia Tillman was sentenced to life in prison and he will never be able to become eligible for parole.

Travis Forbes commits suicide in prison (July, 13 2017)

Travis Forbes committed suicide in his prison cell on July 13, 2017. Forbes was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Limon Correctional Facility in Colorado when he took his own life.

Forbes’ suicide came as a shock to many, including Monge’s family and friends. According to reports, Forbes had been on suicide watch at the time of his death and was being monitored closely by prison staff.

The circumstances surrounding Forbes’ suicide are not entirely clear. Some reports suggest that Forbes had been struggling with mental health issues and had attempted suicide before. Others speculate that the guilt and shame of his actions may have contributed to his decision to take his own life.

Regardless of the reasons behind Forbes’ suicide, his death brought little closure to Monge’s family and friends. While they were relieved that Forbes would never be able to harm anyone else, they were still grappling with the loss of their loved one and the pain of knowing that she had been taken from them in such a brutal way.

In the years since Forbes’ suicide, Kenia Monge’s legacy has lived on. Her family has created a foundation in her name that provides support to families of missing and murdered persons, and works to raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking. While her death was a tragedy, her memory will continue to inspire hope and change for years to come.

The Kenia Monge Foundation (established 2011)

The Kenia Monge Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established in 2011, in memory of Kenia Monge, a 19-year-old woman who was murdered in Denver, Colorado. The foundation’s mission is to assist families of missing persons, and to promote personal safety and awareness about human trafficking.

The foundation was created by Tony and Maria Lee, Kenia’s parents, who were inspired to help others after the outpouring of support they received during the search for their daughter. The Lees wanted to create a lasting legacy for their daughter and to help other families who were going through the same difficult experience.

One of the foundation’s primary goals is to provide resources and support to families of missing persons. The foundation works closely with law enforcement agencies, search and rescue teams, and other organizations to help families navigate the often complicated process of searching for a missing loved one. They also provide financial assistance to families who need help with search expenses, and offer counseling and emotional support.

The Kenia Monge Foundation is also dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking, a growing problem in the United States and around the world. They provide educational resources to schools, community groups, and other organizations, and work to promote public awareness about the signs of trafficking and how to prevent it.

In addition to their work with families of missing persons and their efforts to combat human trafficking, the Kenia Monge Foundation also sponsors an annual memorial walk in honor of Kenia. The walk brings together members of the community to remember Kenia and to raise awareness about the issue of missing persons.

Overall, the Kenia Monge Foundation is an important resource for families of missing persons, and a powerful advocate for personal safety and awareness. The foundation’s work is a testament to the enduring legacy of Kenia Monge, and a reminder of the importance of supporting those who are searching for missing loved ones.

Kenia Monage Documentary: The Kenia Monge Story: A Missing Person Investigation

The Kenia Monge documentary tells Kenia’s story.  The documentary, titled “The Kenia Monge Story: A Missing Person Investigation,” was produced by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and first aired in 2019.

The documentary takes viewers through the investigation into Kenia’s disappearance and murder, and features interviews with family members, law enforcement officials, and others involved in the case. The film also includes reenactments of key moments in the investigation, as well as archival footage and photographs of Kenia.

One of the key themes of the documentary is the importance of public awareness and engagement in missing person cases. Throughout the film, investigators and family members stress the crucial role that the public played in the search for Kenia, and the impact that community support had on the investigation.

The documentary also sheds light on some of the challenges and complexities of investigating missing person cases, particularly those involving human trafficking. Kenia’s case is used as an example of the ways in which traffickers prey on vulnerable young people, and how difficult it can be to track down those responsible for these crimes.

Overall, the Kenia Monge documentary is a powerful and moving tribute to Kenia and her family, and a reminder of the importance of continuing to search for missing persons, and to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking. The film is an important resource for families of missing persons, law enforcement officials, and others who are working to address this critical issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Travis Forbes?

Travis Forbes is responsible for Kenia Monge’s murder. Kenia was a teenager who disappeared on 1st April 2011 because she was abducted by Forbes who raped and killed her. He’s currently serving his life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Where was Kenia Monge buried?

Kenia Monge was buried in Hampden Memorial Estates Denver, Colorado, US. A memorial service was also held in Aurora at “Glory to Glory Christian Center” on 16th September 2011 to honor Kenia.

Where was Kenia Monge from?

Kenia Monge was born in Honduras on 26th Jan 1992 and when she was 12 years old, she moved to the United States to live with her family. She was only 19 years old when she was raped and murdered