HESPERIA, Calif. (VVNG.com) Cold case homicide team announced the arrests of a man in a 20-year-old cold case murder of Colette Rowles.
On Friday, January 3, 1997, a then 50-year-old Colette Rowles was last seen with her boyfriend, Barry Bryant and their friends, Paul and Sandra.
All four of them left the “Buckeye Bar” in Hesperia in Paul’s pick-up truck and drove to Sandy’s residence in Hesperia.
According to Bryant, Colette walked away from the residence late at night after she had an argument with Barry. On January 31, 1997, Colette’s remains were located in Summit Valley. The cause of death was sharp force injuries. By the end of 1998, the homicide investigation was exhausted and remained unsolved.
In 2011, several investigative follow-ups were conducted, but the case remained unsolved.
In 2017, the case was re-investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Homicide Cold Case Team. The team is comprised of Detective Ed DeLaTorre, Detective Adam Salsberry, Investigator Gerrit Tesselaar, District Attorney Investigator Steve Shumway and Deputy District Attorneys Joel Buckingham and Denise Yoakum.
On May 16, 2017, Barry Bryant, a resident of El Mirage was interviewed at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Homicide Detail. At the conclusion of the interview, Bryant was arrested for the murder of Colette Rowles. Bryant was booked at West Valley Detention Center for PC 187-Murder. Bail was set at $1,000,000.00.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact Detective Ed DeLaTorre or Sergeant Greg Myler, Homicide Detail (909) 387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463), or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com
(Correction: A photo incorrectly stated “Cold Case Solved”- It should have read “Cold Case Reopened”)
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