Chilling Colorado History: The Sneaky Spider-Man of Denver

Long before Tobey Maguire graced the big screen as every comic book fan's favorite web-slinger, another Spider-Man made headlines all across the state of Colorado for a much more nefarious reason.

Who Was Colorado's Sneaky Spider-Man of Denver?

Before he was known by his arachnid-esque nickname, Theodore Edward Coneys spent the majority of his adult life as a homeless drifter, eventually landing in Denver and meeting a man named Philip Peters.

While their initial encounter was cordial, Coneys would leave the state again and when he returned years later, the results would be tragic.

Colorado's Sneaky Spider-Man Becomes a Squatter + Murderer

Coneys returned to Colorado in September of 1941 and headed right to Peters' residence at 3335 W. Moncrieff Place in Denver in an attempt to ask his old acquaintance for help once again.

However, Coneys arrived while Peters and his wife were away but took advantage of the situation and instead of leaving, made himself at home in a small attic-like storage area barely big enough for his lanky body to fit.

Get our free mobile app

Coneys remained in the house unnoticed until October 17, 1941, with Peters spotting the squatter in the kitchen. Not recognizing his old acquaintance, Peters attempted to call the police but this provoked Coneys to attack the elderly man, bludgeoning Peters until he lost his life.

What Happened to Colorado's Sneaky Spider-Man?

Unbelievably, while the body of Peters was discovered the day after the attack, Coneys would go unnoticed in his tiny living space for upwards of nine months, at which time police spotted his legs hanging from the hiding spot.

Coneys was subsequently arrested and given a life sentence which he served at Colorado State Penitentiary in Cañon City until his death on May 16, 1967, at the ripe old age of 84.

Upon discovering Coneys and the space he'd been living in Peters' home, a local Colorado newspaper dubbed the murderer "The Sneaky Sneaky Spider-Man of Denver" after being told by police that little more than a spider could comfortably live in the hidden attic.

Colorado’s History of Organized Crime: The Carlino Brothers

The state of Colorado has a long history of mafia activity. One chapter in the state’s saga of organized crime centers around the once-reigning bootleggers known as the Carlino Brothers.

Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde

Western Colorado has a History of Unsuccessful Nuclear Bomb Tests

Years ago, Western Colorado was the site of multiple unsuccessful nuclear bomb detonations.

Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde

The Paradox Mines Are Historic + Dangerous Colorado Landmarks

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

Take a virtual tour of the historic mines in Paradox, Colorado, a historic area in which uranium mining took place in Colorado’s early days.

Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde