The Boulder County Coroner’s Office identified the victim of a recent homicide as 30-year-old Kurt Smolker. The incident occurred at 1663 Zamia Ave. on Tuesday night, where Smolker was found dead. His roommate, Garrett Littenberg, was arrested at the scene by Boulder police on suspicion of first-degree murder.
Judge Ingrid Bakke set Littenberg’s bond at $10 million on Thursday morning. This decision followed a ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that defendants facing first-degree murder charges cannot be held without bond.
According to the arrest affidavit, Boulder police were called to the Zamia Ave. residence at 10:14 p.m. on Tuesday due to a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers noticed the open door and footprints leading from the living room to the upstairs area. Littenberg, shirtless and covered in blood, emerged from the house with his hands up, claiming he was unarmed.
Inside the residence, police discovered Smolker in a large pool of blood, surrounded by multiple knives. A flannel shirt was wrapped around his head and neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In court, prosecutor Genevieve Craggs revealed that Smolker had been stabbed numerous times, including in the head, neck, and abdomen. He also had a deep wound to his neck, which the coroner’s office stated would have required significant effort to inflict.
Police spoke with Littenberg’s family, who had been on the phone with Smolker shortly before his death. A family member reported that Smolker had called them at 10:02 p.m., expressing concern about Littenberg’s behavior. The family member also reported hearing Littenberg shouting about various topics, including Putin and rape, and speaking incoherently. When asked about Smolker’s whereabouts, Littenberg allegedly responded, “Don’t worry about him. He’s dead. I killed him.”
The family informed police that Littenberg was on medication for anxiety and psychosis. Despite the serious charges, Littenberg has no prior criminal record in Colorado. He is currently being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on September 5th for a status conference.
The investigation into the case is ongoing. Boulder police are urging anyone with information related to the case to contact Detective Starks at StarksE@bouldercolorado.gov or 303-441-3067, referencing case No. 23-08516.