Travis Forbes DNA Collected During 4 Hour Texas Interrogation

DNA, Blood & Hair Samples Collected From Suspect In Kenia Monge Disappearance

Posted: 10/14/2011
Last Updated: 590 days ago

For nearly four hours, Travis Forbes was interrogated in Texas about the disappearance of Kenia Monge.

7NEWS was the first to obtain the interview video recording from Austin Police.

Forbes was arrested on May 4, accused of stealing a car from Wheat Ridge.

According to a 57-page police report obtained by 7NEWS, the report revealed he was arrested in the late afternoon. At 7:45 p.m., Denver police had a search warrant for Forbes' DNA. At 11:15 p.m., a Denver police detective arrived at the Austin airport. One hour later that detective was interrogating Forbes.

"What'd you do to her? Did you do anything to her?" asked the detective.

"I'm sorry?" said Forbes.

"Did you do anything to her?" asked the detective.

"No," said Forbes.

"Did you hurt her?" asked the detective.

"No. We never touched," said Forbes.

Forbes Wanted Lawyer After 2.5 Hours Of Interrogation

For two-and-a-half hours, Forbes talked freely with the detective. The detective asked multiple questions about the last night Monge was seen alive. Forbes had previously said he gave her a ride from a downtown bar to a gas station along Speer Boulevard, before she got out and walked off with another man.

The detective told Forbes there was surveillance that showed his van arriving at the gas station, but no evidence of Monge walking away. The detective also said police found a hair in the back of Forbes' van when it was searched.

"If you guys found a piece of her hair with the root in the back of my van, how are you not arresting me? How is that not -- that to me -- this is why I have a lawyer, man. That's just one more nail in the f***ing coffin," said Forbes.

"If you had sex with her, so be it. But dude, not saying that and finding out later that you did, that's not going to look good," said the detective.

"Dude, none of this looks good, I'm in f***ing Texas," said Forbes.

"Well, you came to Texas. We didn't force you to come to Texas," said the detective.

"No, I know. None of this looks good (detective). Look, I…" said Forbes.

"So, did she have sex with you?" asked the detective.

"I think at this point, I -- I, my lawyer should be present. I should not be saying another word," said Forbes.

Denver Police Collect Forbes' DNA & Hair Samples

After more than three hours of interrogation, the Denver detective presents Forbes a search warrant.

"This is a warrant for your DNA," said the detective.

"You guys have my DNA," said Forbes.

"No, we don't," said the detective.

"Well, you guys should," said Forbes.

"We don't," said the detective.

His cheek got swabbed, and then he was asked to allow an officer to get 25 hair samples from his head. At this point, Forbes walks away from the camera's vantage point, but is still heard from the side of the room.

"Did you find her?" asked Forbes. "Why would you be taking my DNA? You found a girl."

"What?" asked the detective.

"You found a girl and there's some s***. There's probably, well, obviously DNA," said Forbes.

Evidence Collected From Car

The 57-page police report also details the evidence collected from the car Forbes was accused of stealing.

A sword was found behind the front seats, but was not kept because no evidence was found on the sword.

Police also took evidence from a blanket with a small reddish brown blood stain and black sweats with a white stain inside.

Forbes was eventually brought back to Jefferson County on the car theft charge. That case was dropped in late June.

On July 5, Forbes sexually assaulted and nearly killed Lydia Tillman in Fort Collins. Tillman jumped from her second floor apartment after it was set on fire.

7NEWS asked Denver Police how Forbes was able to be free to be able to commit that crime despite the interrogation and the evidence collected in Texas.

Denver Police won't comment until after Forbes is sentenced.

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