Paul Skiba attended Wayzetta High School in Minnesota where he was born and raised. Paul was 19 when he came to Colorado with his girl friend. He worked at installing sprinklers for a while; later he went to work for a moving company. After several years the owner retired and Paul took over the moving business with his cousin, Herbert Michael Hymes. Paul bought Hymes out in 1998.
The business was called Tuff Movers. The firm was frequently called upon to move antiques as well as items for some of Denver’s luminaries and sports figures. It made a good living for Paul who brought his mother, Sharon, to Colorado from Minnesota. Paul and his mother lived together in Thornton. When asked the reason for Paul’s success, his father, Carroll Skiba said “Paul was a hard worker, very intelligent and a good guy. He was very personable, outgoing and conscientious.”
Paul Skiba enjoyed camping. He took his employees on camping outings at least once a year. He loved fishing and carried tackle in the vehicle wherever he went. He also enjoyed cooking. Paul married Michelle in 1989. They had a daughter, Sarah. Later, the couple divorced. Michelle was awarded custody of Sarah; Paul was given weekly visitation rights.
But Paul continued to be a good father to Sarah, visiting her in Granby every Wednesday. Paul would get a motel, bring Sarah over to play in the pool. The two would go out to eat and then Paul would take Sarah to school the next morning. Father and daughter frequently went fishing together.
Paul loved Colorado. He attended concerts of his favorite music groups at Red Rocks and enjoyed skiing. Paul and Sarah would go tubing at Fraser. Paul had a good sense of humor and was generous to those in need. He also enjoyed smoking marijuana which he shared with friends and employees.
At the end of January 1999, Sharon went back to Minnesota for her mother’s funeral. While there on February 7, she received a call that Paul & Sarah had disappeared. His girl friend Theresa “just knew something terrible had happened to Paul.” Sarah’s mother, Michelle, reported to authorities that Sarah was last seen with her father. Sarah was 9-1/2 years old.
Grand County Sheriff issued a warrant for Paul’s arrest. Thornton Police were notified and listed Paul as a missing person. Lakewood police listed employee Lorenzo Chivers as missing also.
Then a different scenario unfolded. A neighbor told the family that Paul & his girlfriend, Theresa, had a big fight and he told her to get out. It was now a week since Paul, Sarah and Lorenzo were last seen on a moving job in Morrison.
Sharon went to the storage lot of the moving company with Rich, Paul’s best friend. There was a strange lock on the gate. Rich went over the fence and walked up to the truck, moving a board away from the side. He saw all kinds of bullet holes, a blood smear and a piece of scalp with hair. Other family members, including Lorenzo’s, were called and came to the scene.
Thornton Police were called. The storage lot, located near 72nd & Raleigh, was close to an auto repair business and an archery shop. Investigators learned that on the night of the disappearance the truck had left the yard about 9 pm and returned about midnight. Analysis of the blood revealed it was Paul & Sarah’s.
Police theorized that the murders took place at the lot, the killers then loaded the bodies into the truck, disposed of them, then returned the truck to the lot. Bodies of the victims have never been found. Chivers has not been seen since. He had a son and a daughter the same age as Sarah. If you have information regarding any element of this crime, please contact Sgt. D. R. Lester at 303-430-2400, ext 4226.