Jax Gratton, a 34-year-old hair stylist from Denver who had been missing since April 15, was found dead in Lakewood, Colorado, her family announced on Saturday, after Gratton’s body was discovered in an alley the day prior.
The Lakewood Police Department said in a post that didn’t identify Gratton, who is a transgender woman, as the deceased, that law enforcement was investigating a “suspicious death” after a bystander found remains in an advanced state of decomposition.
“The body was in advanced stages of decomposition and could not be positively identified,” Lakewood Police wrote in a press release on Facebook. “It does appear to be the body of an adult.”
While authorities have not yet officially confirmed the identity, Gratton’s relatives stated the body was hers.
“With a broken heart, I share the news that our beloved Jax Gratton has been found — and she is no longer with us,” Cherilynne Gratton-Camis, Gratton’s mother, wrote in a post on Facebook. “There are no words strong enough for the grief we are feeling. The light she carried, the love she gave so freely, and the joy she brought into our lives have been taken from this world far too soon.”
John Romero, a public information officer with the Lakewood Police Department, told Newsweek via email on Saturday evening that the “coroner has not made positive ID on the body that was found yesterday. As soon as that happens, we can and will release more.”
The Context
The discovery brought an end to a search that mobilized friends, family, and the wider Denver community for nearly two months.
The outcome leaves pressing questions for authorities and loved ones regarding the circumstances that led to Gratton’s death and the need for closure in such cases.
What To Know
A bystander found the body in an alley late Friday on the 9600 block of West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood, the press release from the police said.
Law enforcement responded to the scene and described the remains as being in an advanced stage of decomposition. Investigators have not yet publicly released a positive identification or details regarding the cause or manner of death.
Friends and family said Gratton was last seen around 10 p.m. on April 15, leaving her residence in Denver.
According to friends, her roommate said she indicated she would be gone for about three hours that night and did not return, local news station Denver7 previously reported.
“This has opened my eyes in ways I can’t ignore. It’s not just about Jax — it’s about all of you in the LGBTQIA+ community who face the world every day with courage, just wanting to live, love, and exist safely and equally,” Gratton’s mother wrote in her post. “That should never be a fight. And yet it is.”
For weeks, community members, friends, and family undertook search efforts, distributed flyers, and circulated Gratton’s image on social media seeking information about her disappearance.
Police respond to a possible shooting at on January 22, 2024, in Bloomington, Indiana.
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What People Are Saying
Cherilynne Gratton-Camis, Jax Gratton’s mother, wrote on Facebook: “I want to thank everyone — near and far — who has shown up for us. Everyone who shared her story. Everyone who shared her face. Everyone who sent out a prayer, a hope, a kind thought. Everyone who hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped.”
What Happens Next
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office is set to conduct an autopsy this weekend to confirm the identity and cause of death.
Law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigation into the circumstances of Gratton’s disappearance and death.
Update 6/7/25, 6:40 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the Lakewood Police Department.
