The body of a 56-year-old woman who had been missing for the past seven years was found just feet from the Colorado home she shared with her husband.
On September 10, 2025, a man clearing out the garage discovered a bone that initially appeared to be a Halloween decoration.
However, authorities later confirmed in late October that the remains belonged to Terri Ann Ackerman.
Highlights
- The remains of 56-year-old Terri Ann Ackerman, missing since 2018, were discovered just feet from her Colorado home.
- An unexpected inheritance led to the discovery, finally resolving the seven-year-long mystery.
- Her identity was confirmed in October 2025, leaving many netizens questioning how the case went unsolved for so long.
“Such a sad story… There's more questions than answers,” wrote one social media user.
Terri Ann Ackerman had been missing since August 2018 before her remains were recently discovered
Image credits: Go Fund Me
Authorities first arrived at the ranch-style home in Lochbuie, a town northeast of Denver, Colorado, after being notified by a man who found a suspicious-looking bone.
The unnamed man reportedly consulted a neighbor before calling the police, after the two agreed the bone looked real and not just a Halloween prop.
Terri shared the property with her now-deceased husband, Delbert, also known as Dale, Ackerman.
Image credits: HOMES
According to reports, her husband last saw her on August 23, 2018, sleeping in the couple’s bedroom before he allegedly left for work around 5 a.m.
Later that afternoon, Terri visited her daughter, Ambry Carolus, and reportedly left her house around 4:30 p.m.
The deceased 56-year-old was last seen alive by her daughter, Ambry Carolus
Image credits: Go Fund Me
During the visit, Ambry described her mother as “normal” but noted she seemed a bit “down on herself.”
Terri had also agreed to look after her grandchildren the next day, but later that evening, Ambry claimed she received a call from her mother, who was crying and said she “could not watch” the kids.
Reportedly, Mrs. Ackerman suffered from bipolar disorder and was on regular medication.
Image credits: Terri Ackerman
When the family discovered she was missing, Carolus told the media at the time that even her mother’s pills were gone from her parents’ house.
The next day, on August 24, Terri was officially reported missing by Dale, and despite an extensive search involving dogs, drones, and CCTV surveillance, Lochbuie Police were unable to locate her for years.
Terri reportedly suffered from bipolar disorder and was taking medication for the condition before her disappearance
Image credits: ZILLOW
While Terri’s family claimed that authorities failed to conduct a proper investigation back in 2018, her husband was never considered a suspect.
Even Dale’s son from a previous marriage, Sean Ackerman, told authorities that his father could not have been involved in his stepmother’s disappearance.
Image credits: KDVR
After Dale passed away from cancer in February this year, the Ackerman couple’s property was inherited by Sean.
It was this inheritance that led to the unexpected discovery, as Sean was in the process of selling the house.
The man who first discovered Terri’s remains had been hired to remove scrap metal and other junk from the garage.
Terri’s late husband was never considered a suspect by the investigating authorities
Image credits: Terri Ackerman
The garage was reportedly filled with boxes stacked from floor to ceiling, including Terri’s belongings that had remained untouched for seven years.
In a recent interview, Sean expressed his concern that police might not have searched the garage thoroughly, suggesting that his stepmother’s remains could have been discovered much earlier.
Image credits: Terri Ackerman
Many netizens voiced similar frustrations, accusing the officials of being “incompetent” during the initial investigation.
One outraged user wrote, “Weird. Just weird. They are some incompetent blue city cops right there.”
Another remarked, “The family should sue the negligent police. This kind of incompetence is criminal!!”
No official cause of Mrs. Ackerman’s demise has been reported by authorities yet
Image credits: Terri Ackerman
“I'm surprised nobody smelled her. And cadaver dogs didn't alert? Odd.”
Sean told The Denver Post, “All of her clothing was exactly where it was. Everything that she had on the bed was still on the bed.”
Further describing how his father coped with Terri’s disappearance, he added, “He still slept on half a bed that he hadn't cleaned for seven years. Her pictures were there, everything was there.”
“I just know if my dad would have known she was [in the garage], it would have ki**ed him before the cancer did.”
While the identity of Terri’s remains has been officially confirmed, the investigation remains ongoing, with no cause of her demise yet determined by police.
“How sad. I’m glad she was finally found and can be buried properly. Poor soul,” one user commented
