While researching and photographing different cold cases in Colorado, I decided to research a bit more into my obsession. Don't worry, I currently have a few spine-tingling blogs on the back burner, but first, I want to explain not only the importance of cold cases, but also the unknown reality behind them. I assure you that cold cases aren't as rare as one would assume. I researched a few different sites, including National Geographic, NBC News, The Denver Channel, and the Telemasp Bulletin which is the Texas Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics Program, and I found some interesting percentages and factual information that we all should be aware of.
Guess how many cold cases are open today in America, dating back only to 1980? Guess higher. 200,000 cold cases. Apparently, today's "national clearance rate for homicide" is 64.1%. That literally estimates that only two of every three murders get solved. According to my research, fifty years ago the clearance rate was 90%. I am slightly concerned in exactly how much of that 90% is actually full of 100% guilty verdicts, but I do acknowledge the obvious and rapid decline in numbers over the years. I am also considering the fact that DNA was discovered about thirty years ago, so a majority of this 90% was also solved without DNA.
Researchers and detectives believe the increase in cold case files is a result of a few things including lack of experienced detectives and an increase in murders where the killer and victim are strangers. Although I have assumed that cold case special units have existed as far back as murderers began perfecting their art, the truth is these specified groups were not created until the 1980's in the Miami Police Department. Unfortunately, cold cases are not worked in chronological order, but rather in priority ratings. In other words, these detectives begin with cases that are more likely to be solved. Whether there is previously existing clues and witnesses to be re-examined or newly collected evidence to be looked into, these cases hold priority over ones where no substantial evidence was ever found at the time of the crime. It is not a secret that the United States has the highest number of unsolved murders. According to NBC News, there were a reported 4,566 homicides in 1963 and 14,811 in 2007. It is concluded that approximately 6,000 murders turn ice cold every year.
The District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police Department did a study using 189 cold cases. I think this is significant in not only showing why cold case units were developed, but also how effective they can be. They were able to convict 24% of the culprits and were able to eliminate another 24% through "exceptional" means which labeled the killer as either dead, already serving a prison sentence, or missing. Even though 99 of these 189 cases remain open, I still believe that each and every one is a successful task. That's 90 families who finally received some sort of closure that they did not already have.
Thanks to the Telemasp Bulletin, I was able to study the percentages of specific types of crimes growing into cold cases. For example, 21% of drug related killings turn cold, while 14% of gang related murders and 14% of murderers who know their victims go unsolved. Another 13% of these cases are unsolvable due to the incapability to identify the victims.
Another reason so many cases have yet to be closed is a result of the actual time-consuming police work required is not what most people assume. So many television shows spoil viewers and provide us with the cessation of crimes within thirty to sixty minutes when in reality, these investigations take way more than an hour to serve justice. It's simple to understand why these homicidal puzzles take so long to put together when you consider the amount of time it takes to locate and interview suspects and witnesses. Also, the amount of time it takes for physical evidence to be properly probed is not instantaneous. Cold case investigators justifiably spend hours and hours reviewing files, re-interviewing witnesses, examining physical evidence, and communicating with previous investigators who have past experience with individual cases.
The focus I possessed when I began my research on unsolved crimes was to ultimately discover how cold cases are eventually and finally solved. Ironically, I seem to have stumbled on somewhat of a disagreement on what the key element is behind closing crimes from many years ago. Some percentages hold DNA as the breadwinner, whereas some claim new witnesses are mostly responsible for successfully sealing cases. My opinion? Well, I think both are equally powerful when dealing with these cases. Here's why.
The very first crime where DNA was introduced and successfully delivered justice was on November 6, 1987. Circuit Court in Orange County, Florida used DNA, which consists of biological materials including skin, hair, blood, and bodily fluids, to serve justice to rapist, Tommie Lee Andrews. I bet that mother fucker did not see that coming. Thanks to DNA, law enforcement was able to create a database that consists of over five million convicted criminal records. All fifty, American states require sex-offenders to contribute their DNA samples as well. It's amazing how many prison sentences are given out with 100% confidence all resulting from DNA development. What is even more astonishing is the fact that all humans share 99.9% of identical DNA sequences. I suppose 0.01% extends more power than the norm would think.
Robert Davis is part of the Police Executive Research Forum, and he states that silent witnesses coming forward solve more cold cases than DNA. I can absolutely see the truth behind his words. Many witnesses are naturally too terrified to speak up about what case closing facts they secretly possess. As year after year passes, the fear and, in some relationships, compassion for the killers disintegrate, allowing people to find the confidence to finally come forward to detectives. Many witnesses are not tied to the murderer any longer through fear, relationships, and friendships after so much time goes by. Some witnesses find themselves in a troubling situation where revealing what they saw years ago can, in return, lighten their own prison term or have another kind of personal benefit as the motivation.
In the middle of my factual research on this cold case topic, I came across a witty, yet educational article on Cracked.com. It is called "5 Mind Blowing Ways People Solved Unsolvable Cold Cases," and i highly recommend it. Two of the five stories really grasped my attention. The first case details the genius idea executed by two detectives, Jim Scharf and Dave Heitzman, In 1979, Snohomish County's Susan Schwarz was fatally shot and strangled in her own home. Her killer was never brought to justice. Thirty-two years later, these two detectives created decks of playing cards with each card detailing different missing people in the area. They dispersed the decks throughout Washington state prisons and offered rewards in exchange for information on the cases. A fifty-seven year old prisoner from Seattle saw a playing card with Susan Schwarz's face on it that struck familiarity, and he surrendered the information to the police. Apparently his exact words were never detailed, however, there is reason to believe he was a silent witness to the crime and was prevented by fear from speaking up.
Another one of the stories in this article is about something I never heard of before, and I want to spread the existence and awareness of it. There is an actual web site dedicated to cold case victims. The DOE Network has claimed to be a "Facebook for the dead." It was created in 1999 and currently supported by the Responsible Volunteer Community by the U.S. Department of Justice. Pretty much, random people post information on missing people and unsolved cases on this web site, and once enough material is collected, it is passed on to the police in the hopes of solving crimes. Some volunteers also donate their time by skimming through pictures of missing people featured on the site and comparing them to pictures of the deceased on the coroner's web site, in the hopes of finding a match and putting a name on a mystery corpse. This site alone has assisted in solving sixty-six cases and located hundreds of people who were missing. Check out www.doenetwork.org and donate some of your time to helping families of victims cease their heart-wrenching questions revolving around their victimized loved ones.
The whole premise of this blog is to express how far awareness can travel, and how much impact it can have on well deserving people. I may not be capable of assisting with DNA, but I am more than eager to attempt to get the attention of silent witnesses by continuing my journey of spreading the awareness of cold cases. I have watched and read numerous cases go from cold to closed all because of witnesses and confessions. People on their death beds with case-solving information on the tips of their tongues, standing between them and the gates of Heaven and Hell can, in my opinion, be easily convinced to spill their guts simply by striking their sense of familiarity through victims' pictures and details. With the same idea as the playing cards, a Cold Colorado Magazine can clearly benefit and assist in closing cold cases. My goal is to create, execute, and disperse this magazine throughout society. If my idea leads to just one cold case being closed, it is a success!
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