Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Criminally Negligent Homicide in Angela Wilds’ Death After Two Mistrials
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On June 4, 2006, a father and son hiking in the South St. Vrain Canyon area of Boulder, Colorado, discovered a woman’s remains. She was found unclothed, with a silver cross shaped ring on her left hand, and additional evidence including yellow ski pants, a pillow and pillowcase, and a sleeping bag were found in the vicinity.
Her body appeared to have been dragged from a shallow grave by a large animal in the area.
Investigators also determined that quicklime had been placed over the body, which many believe accelerates the decay of a body and destroys evidence, however studies debate the effects of quicklime in this scenario and the reality is more complex.
Although an autopsy was performed, the cause and manner of death would remain undetermined due to the extent of the decomposition. There were no gunshot wounds or stab wounds, and strangulation could not be ruled out.
Despite police efforts to identify the woman, she would remain unidentified for several months. In October 2006, a woman who had been watching news coverage of the case recognized a photograph of the victim’s ring as belonging to 38-year-old Angela Wilds, who was a friend of hers. Wilds’ sister was tracked down by police, and a DNA sample was taken to compare with that of the victim, proving it was a match. She was officially identified in November 2006.
Angela Wilds, known as Angie to friends and loved ones, had resided in Longmont, Colorado, and had previously lived in Greeley. According to Denver7, she had a difficult upbringing and had been in multiple abusive relationships. She had issues with alcohol and was considered transient at the time of her death, with media outlets reporting that she was a regular face at the OUR Center in Longmont, an organization that provides food and other services to those who are homeless or struggling.
In late 2009, DNA evidence linked to the scene led police to a man named John Michael Angerer. Angerer was interviewed and claimed he did not recognize Angela in a photograph and did not know who she was. He said he had never been to South St. Vrain Canyon and denied that the DNA recovered from the victim and items found at the scene was his.
Witnesses told investigators that in 2005 and 2006 they had seen Angela and John Angerer together on multiple occasions in the Longmont area, often eating together.
At trial, it was revealed that Angerer was also considered transient in the mid-2000s. Unlike Wilds, Angerer was considered outdoorsy and liked both hiking and camping. Although he denied spending time in South St. Vrain Canyon, witnesses said he regularly went there.
In 2010, Angerer was arrested by police and charged with second-degree murder; however, at a preliminary hearing, the judge ruled that probable cause had not been established by prosecutors, leading to the charge being dismissed. The judge allowed that if significant evidence was brought forward in the future, the case could be reopened.
Over a decade passed, during which investigators said they talked to witnesses for a second time, identified additional witnesses, and submitted evidence for DNA testing.
On March 9, 2023, Angerer was arrested in Anchorage, Alaska, and extradited back to Colorado to face new charges. He pleaded not guilty.
In December 2025, at trial, the judge declared a mistrial following a deadlocked jury. The defense argued that Wilds had severe coronary artery disease and said she could have suffered a fatal cardiac event.
Another trial followed in 2026, where the jury was split, resulting in yet another mistrial.
Then, on July 28, 2026, Angerer accepted a plea agreement, where he pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to three years in prison with credit for 1,375 days served.
Angerer’s credit exceeded the sentence, meaning that he did not serve additional prison time.
He was also sentenced to two years of mandatory parole.
District Attorney Michael Dougherty said of the outcome: “Angela Wilds was a daughter, a friend, and a human being who deserved justice and dignity. For twenty years, her family has carried the painful weight of not knowing whether justice would ever be done. Today’s plea doesn’t erase their loss, but it does represent a measure of accountability and a meaningful step toward honoring Angela’s life.”
Questions surrounding Angela Wilds’ final moments and the circumstances of her death remain unanswered.
