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History

The Phoenix Center at Auraria was founded in 2009 after MSU Denver student, Abigail “Abby” Robertson, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, another student on Auraria campus, Marcus Hightower.

After Abigail ended their relationship, Marcus began stalking and harassing her. Abigail filed for a protection order against Marcus and the judge granted the protection order.

On December 11th, 2007, Marcus came to Abigail’s home, shot and stabbed her multiple times, and immediately turned himself into law enforcement.

This event triggered campus-wide conversations about how folks on Auraria Campus could have potentially been a resource to prevent Abigial’s death - and future students deaths. These conversations resulted in birth of The Phoenix Center at Auraria.