The Heartbreaking Case of 19-Year-Old Kenia Monge | True Crime Documentary

In downtown Denver, a 19-year-old named Kenya Monge went to a bar with her friends. She had too much to drink, left her things on the table, and went to the restroom, but she never came back. Cameras showed her leaving the bar by herself that night. Something scary happened to her, and no one knew what. This sad story is about Kenya Monge, a lively 19-year-old girl who disappeared in April 2011.

Kenya was born in Honduras on January 26, 1992. Her mom, Maria, was only 15 years old at the time. Dealing with the challenges of being a young mom, Maria made the tough choice to leave Kenya with her grandmother and move to the US. Although it was a difficult decision, Maria believed it was the best for Kenya’s future.

In the US, Maria met Tony Lee, and they created a happy family with two kids, Kim and Anthony. Kenya joined them in 2004. Though she didn’t speak much English initially, she quickly adapted. Her new family welcomed her warmly, and Tony became a loving dad to her. Kenya and her half-sister Kim became best friends, and life felt perfect. Originally from Honduras where opportunities were limited, Kenya appreciated every moment in the United States. She did well at Cherry Creek High School and followed her passion for broadcasting at a local Denver college. Kenya thrived, eventually moving into her own apartment with her boyfriend, Lewis Easton.

Not only was Kenya smart, but she also had a kind heart. Her caring nature attracted many friends, and everyone saw that this young woman was destined for success. But nobody knew that her life would soon take a sad turn.

Like many teenagers, Kenya and her pals wanted to enjoy the nightlife in downtown Denver. Using fake IDs to get into bars and clubs, they engaged in underage drinking. Kenya’s parents had no clue about this, thinking their daughter was responsible and followed the law.

On the night of March 31, 2011, Kenya and her friends went to the 24K Lounge to have a good time. Things took a bad turn when the alcohol hit Kenya quickly. After a trip to the restroom, she was kicked out of the club for being too intoxicated, leaving her phone and purse behind at her table. Alone outside, she couldn’t reach her friends inside.

Kenya’s friends grew worried when she didn’t return, but they assumed she had left with someone and planned to return her belongings the next day. This particular group of friends was new and didn’t stick together like her usual pals. That night, they left the club without searching for her. Unfortunately, Kenya’s keys were among her belongings, leaving her stranded.

The next day, Kenya’s boyfriend Lewis and her family grew concerned. Later, Kenya’s friends admitted they used fake IDs to enter the club and last saw her just after midnight. Surprisingly, they brought her purse to her home. Inside, the family found her phone, keys, and wallet. This shocked Kenya’s family because she always had her phone with her. They felt something was really wrong.

Tony searched Kenya’s phone thoroughly, hoping to find a clue. He found a strange text from someone named “Travis” who mentioned giving her a ride the previous night. Tony called Travis many times, but no one answered. Frustrated and worried, Tony and Maria decided to report Kenya as missing. The officer they spoke to was not sympathetic and said they had to wait 72 hours before filing a report.

Finally, on Saturday, Travis called back. He claimed he saw Kenya talking to a homeless man outside the club and offered her a ride to her car. According to Travis, when Kenya wanted cigarettes, they stopped at a closed gas station where she met a man named Dan, and they walked away together speaking in Spanish. Travis claimed he then lost sight of her.

Tony thought Travis’s story was hard to believe. Tony called Travis again, asked a lot of questions, and agreed to meet him at the Conoco gas station where Kenya was allegedly last seen. Worried for Tony’s safety, Maria called the police, who sent an officer to monitor the meeting.

At the gas station, the officer and Tony checked Travis’s van. The van smelled strongly of chemicals and bleach, and it had a brand new carpet in the back. While the back looked suspiciously clean, the front was messy with food wrappers and trash. The officer found this strange but couldn’t detain Travis without probable cause. As they were leaving, Travis’s hand was visibly shaking when he shook Tony’s hand. Tony felt certain that Travis might be the last person who saw Kenya alive.

Three days after Kenya went missing, the police officially started looking into the case. They discovered that Travis Forbes, a 31-year-old, had a troubled and violent history. His criminal record included burglary, criminal harassment, and a 2004 assault charge for throwing rocks at a woman. At the time Kenya disappeared, Travis was on probation for domestic violence.

On April 5th, surveillance footage from Debb’s Bakery and Cafe provided crucial insight. The bakery owner, Monica Po, revealed that on April 2nd, she found the security cameras had been turned off. Reviewing the footage prior to the shutoff, she saw Travis alone in the bakery around 7:30 PM on April 1st, wearing long latex gloves. He was seen taking a trolley into the walk-in freezer, bringing in a carpet roll, and carrying a bottle of bleach before disabling the cameras.

Detectives spoke to other business owners nearby. One eyewitness reported seeing two men burning a large barrel behind the bakery with a white van nearby. Another observed Travis cleaning a big white cooler in his van. When Monica confronted Travis, he claimed he was cleaning out “moldy marijuana.”

Travis fled the state about a month after Kenya disappeared, heading to Austin, Texas. Detectives checked his phone records and dismantled his alibi. In Austin, he was temporarily arrested on May 4th for car theft. Detectives flew down to question him, but he refused to talk about Kenya and asked for a lawyer. After his release, he returned to Colorado.

On July 4th, 2011, Travis Forbes roamed the streets of downtown Fort Collins looking for his next victim. Lydia Tillman, who had recently moved back to the area, was enjoying the fireworks alone. After the fireworks, Lydia walked home, unaware that Travis was trailing her.

When she reached her apartment, Travis attacked her violently, forced her inside, and assaulted her. He broke her jaw, strangled her, and caused severe brain injuries. Despite Lydia’s struggle, Travis doused her body in bleach and set her apartment on fire to cover his tracks.

Miraculously, Lydia gathered her strength and jumped out of the second-story window to escape the flames. When first responders arrived, they found a brave survivor amid the ashes. She suffered a stroke shortly after reaching the hospital, putting her in a coma for five painful weeks. Though the fire destroyed much of the forensic evidence, investigators found microscopic DNA under Lydia’s nails linking the attack directly to Travis Forbes.

On July 11th, Travis faced new charges of attempted murder, sexual assault, and arson.

Detectives rushed to build their case against Travis for Kenya’s disappearance. On August 26th, during a jail visit, Travis offered to spill everything in exchange for a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.

Travis revealed a horrifying story. Pretending to help Kenya outside the club, he lured her into his van. When he attacked her, she fought back. He murdered her, hid her lifeless body in the bakery’s freezer, and later buried her in a shallow grave in Keenesburg, Colorado, near Interstate 76. Afterward, he cleaned his van and removed all evidence.

On September 7th, he led detectives to the site, where they found Kenya’s body in a 4-foot deep grave.

On September 26, 2011, during his hearing, Travis surprised everyone by admitting guilt to the first-degree murder of Kenya Monge. He received a life sentence without the possibility of parole for Kenya’s murder, and an additional 48 years for trying to kill Lydia Tillman.

To honor Kenya Monge’s memory, the Kenya Monge Foundation was created. It helps women, children, and families in Colorado by providing resources, education, financial aid, and support for the families of crime victims.

A memorial service on September 16, 2011, remembered Kenya’s deep impact on many lives. During the service, her sister Kim emotionally spoke about her big sister, sharing cherished memories and expressing her belief that Kenya had become a guardian angel.