Arrest Made in 1981 Cold Case Involving Murder of Colorado Woman

According to 9News Denver, the Cherry Hills Village Police Department identified David Dwayne Anderson as the suspected killer of 34-year-old Sylvia Quayle.

Police believe Quayle was murdered inside her Cherry Hills Village home sometime during the evening of August 3, 1981, or early the next morning. The female victim was reportedly shot and stabbed. The autopsy report also revealed that Quayle had been sexually assaulted prior to her death. Quayle's family found her body on the morning of August 4.

In 1983, a man named Ottis Toole confessed to killing Quayle and was formally charged with first-degree murder. Several years later, however, his story was disproven through DNA testing and thus, the investigation continued.

In January of 2020, new information pointed to David Anderson as a person of interest in this case. Law enforcement located Anderson in Cozad, Nebraska, a small town with less than 4,000 residents. The suspect was arrested on February 10 and online court records showed that he waived extradition. He appeared in a Nebraska court on February 24.

9News reports that Anderson allegedly killed Quayle after deliberation, and that she was killed in the commission of another felony. He is expected to be returned to Colorado to face these multiple counts of first-degree murder.

Records show that Anderson had previously been arrested for other crimes in Colorado throughout the 70s and 80s. Two months after Quayle's murder, Anderson was arrested on burglary charges and served time in the state prison. Following his prison stint, Anderson was arrested on several more burglary charges, as well as for public order crimes, trespassing charges and for escaping custody.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 or visit metrodenvercrimestoppers.com. Those who submit tips can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.