Decades After Surviving a Snowstorm, Shocking Details About Him Come to Light

On the night of January 6, 1982, in the vicinity of Breckenridge, Colorado, two women vanished under chilling winter conditions and were later found murdered. Annette Schnee, 21, and Barbara “Bobbie Jo” Oberholtzer, 29, were hitchhiking separately when they disappeared. Their bodies, discovered months apart, bore fatal gunshot wounds, and the case remained unsolved for nearly four decades.

Remarkably, that same night, Alan Lee Phillips, a local miner, was rescued from a snowdrift after signaling an SOS with his truck’s headlights during a fierce snowstorm. Decades later, DNA evidence identified Phillips as the man responsible for the killings.

The Murders and the Context of the Night

Annette Schnee was last seen leaving a drugstore around 4:45 p.m. with medication, while Bobbi Jo Oberholtzer made a phone call around 6:21 p.m. from a pub to tell her husband she had a ride. Oberholtzer was last seen about 7:50 p.m. before vanishing. Both women were hitchhiking after work, alone in the wintry mountain town.

Investigators linked the murders by the discovery of an iconic pair of orange socks—one sock found on Schnee’s body and the other near Oberholtzer’s. The brutal killings took place amid a deadly winter storm, with temperatures plunging to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rescuing Alan Lee Phillips

Local fire chief Dave Montoya recounted how Phillips was found stuck in a snowdrift on a treacherous mountain pass. Phillips’ truck headlights signaled SOS in Morse code, which was spotted by a sheriff on a commercial flight who relayed the information to dispatchers below. Montoya recognized Phillips as a longtime mining colleague.

At the time, Phillips explained a prominent bruise on his face as a result of a fall in the snow. However, investigators later suspected that Oberholtzer, fighting for her life, struck Phillips with a brass key ring crafted by her husband—an item meant for her protection.

The Breakthrough: DNA and Arrest

The case had gone cold for years, but in early 2020, advances in genetic genealogy enabled Park County detectives to identify Phillips as the prime suspect. DNA samples collected covertly from discarded fast-food napkins matched evidence found at the crime scenes and linked Phillips unequivocally to the murders.

Following his arrest in February 2021, Phillips was convicted in September 2022 of two counts of first-degree murder, felony kidnapping, robbery, and other charges.

Trial, Conviction, and Aftermath

During the trial, the harrowing details of the night emerged, including how both victims were killed in separate locations but by the same assailant. Phillips was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.

Phillips died by suicide in prison in early 2023. For the families of Schnee and Oberholtzer, the conviction brought a bittersweet sense of closure after nearly 40 years of uncertainty and pain.

Reflections from Family and Community

Schnee’s sister recalled the devastating impact on their family, expressing a poignant longing to understand why and how such tragedy befell their loved ones. The community of Breckenridge mourned the loss and praised law enforcement for their determination in solving the cold case.

The mystery of the “Orange Sock” murders was finally resolved by a combination of perseverance, technological innovation, and careful investigative work.

Conclusion: Justice Years in the Making

The 1982 Breckenridge murders and the dramatic rescue of Alan Lee Phillips the same night form a haunting story of crime and survival. The case’s resolution decades later demonstrates the power of modern forensic methods to deliver justice long overdue.

For those affected by the tragedy, the memory of Annette Schnee and Bobbie Jo Oberholtzer lives on, underscoring the enduring quest for truth and closure in even the coldest of cases.