The Larimer County Coroner on Wednesday identified the homicide victim found Monday in Bellvue as a 53-year-old Greeley musician.

Larimer County Sheriff’s deputies were notified about 9:30 a.m. Monday of the body in the area of Old Flowers Road and Pingree Park Road in Bellvue, according to a news release. The body was identified as Stanley Scott Sessions, 53, and his death was ruled a homicide.

The coroner’s office will not release the cause of Sessions’ death at this time as the investigation continues.

Sessions played trumpet in the Colorado band The Movers and Shakers and also frequently played at venues in Greeley. He had been missing since Saturday.

A trumpet sits on a stool in front of the jam band in memory of Greeley trumpeter Scott Sessions during the weekly Blues Party at Bear’s Country Saloon in Greeley Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020. The night was dedicated to Greeley trumpeter Scott Sessions, who was found dead in an apparent homicide. Sessions frequented the blues jam nights before his death. (Alex McIntyre/amcintyre@greeleytribune.com)

Kyle Borthick, a drummer and vocalist for The Movers and Shakers, said the band members are hurting after learning of the sudden death of their band member and friend.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve never had anything like this happen,” Borthick, 62, said.

Borthick said they canceled a gig Friday in Denver as they grieve, but that the band has agreed to continue making music.

“I’m sitting here looking at his picture right now, and I just know Scott would want us to carry on,” Borthick said. “We just wanted to make music that made people happy and made us happy …

“We’ll continue doing that, and we’ll honor (Sessions’) memory by making people happy and continuing with that in mind.”

Sessions was also an accomplished soloist, Borthick said. In the past couple years, he frequented blues jams organized in downtown Greeley by Chris Haug, 62, who runs a DJ company called The Music Man.

“He’d come and play whatever he wanted,” Haug said. “He was just such a good player.”

Sessions played a small, travel trumpet, Haug said. Always friendly, Sessions joked, “That’s what happens to big trumpets when they get wet.”

The jam band performs for the crowd during the Blues Party at Bear’s Country Saloon in Greeley Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020. The night was dedicated to Greeley trumpeter Scott Sessions, who was found dead in an apparent homicide. A trumpet was placed on a stool in front of the band in Sessions’s memory. (Alex McIntyre/amcintyre@greeleytribune.com)

The blues jams are currently held 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays at Bear’s Country Saloon, 813 9th St. Haug said he expects many to attend tonight to pay their respects to Sessions and grieve.

Borthick first met Sessions through Eddie Silk, who plays saxophone in the band. The first time Silk and Sessions added horns to the band, they were working on a cover of Ray Charles’ “Unchain My Heart.”

“It was a good day,” Borthick said with a laugh. “We were all excited.”

Sessions also brought a great energy to the band’s live performances, Borthick said, and helping create a strong chemistry and presence on stage. Sessions and Borthick were both graduates of Greeley high schools – Sessions of Greeley West and Borthick of Greeley Central – and were always thrilled to play in Greeley.

Borthick said Sessions was a very caring guy and had a gift for remembering people’s names. The band has two performances planned in Greeley: March 13 at the Moxi Theater, 802 9th St., and June 13 at the Greeley Blues Jam.

“We’ll be honoring Scotty by bringing our best to that special event,” Borthick said of the Blues Jam performance. “He’ll be there in spirit with us for sure that day.”

A toast to Scott Sessions is raised during the Blues Party at Bear’s Country Saloon in Greeley Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020. The night was dedicated to Greeley trumpeter Scott Sessions, who was found dead in an apparent homicide. Sessions frequented the weekly blues jams and a trumpet was laid on a stool in front of the band in his memory. (Alex McIntyre/amcintyre@greeleytribune.com)

Anyone with information about this incident or any other crime is asked to call the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 416-1985 or Crime Stoppers at (970) 221-6868, where tipsters can remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a cash reward.

– Trevor Reid covers public safety issues for the Greeley Tribune. Connect with Trevor at (970) 392-4492, treid@greeleytribune.com or on Twitter, @treid71.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to show Sessions was a graduate of Greeley West High School. An earlier version stated the incorrect high school.