All articles tagged with #cold cases
As Nancy Guthrie remains missing in Tucson nearly a month after her disappearance, CNN highlights how other local cases—Jimmy Hendrickson (1991) and Karen Grajeda (1996)—have lingered for decades without answers, illustrating ongoing investigations, community vigils, and growing rewards as families cling to hope for closure.
BuzzFeed’s community-curated collection spotlights 29 unsolved mysteries, ranging from disappearances like Nyleen Marshall, Bianca Lebron, and Summer Wells to historic cases such as the Mary Celeste and Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Organized into sections—Disappearances That Defy Explanation, Brutal Crimes With No Arrests, Cases That Sparked Legal Controversy, Historic Mysteries Still Unsolved, and A Personal Story That Needs Answers—the piece blends reader submissions with media reporting to show why these cases linger in the public imagination.
Detective Matt Hutchison solved decades-old California cold cases using DNA evidence and genealogical methods, leading to the conviction of killers in the 1982 murder of 15-year-old Karen Stitt and the 1979 murder of Estella Mena, highlighting the impact of forensic science on solving long-standing crimes.
Interpol has successfully identified the woman in pink found dead in Spain 20 years ago as Liudmila Zavada, a Russian national, through its 'Identify Me' campaign, which uses biometric data and international cooperation to solve cold cases involving women in Europe.
A Navy diver who died in 1997 has been linked through DNA evidence to multiple cold case rapes across four states from the 1980s and 1990s, providing closure to some victims after decades.
A former Navy diver, Sean Patrick McNulty, linked through DNA evidence to multiple decades-old rape cases across California, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, was identified posthumously after his death by suicide in 1997, bringing closure to some victims and highlighting the importance of testing old kits.
Netflix's 'Dept. Q', co-created by Scott Frank and based on Jussi Adler-Olsen's novels, features Matthew Goode delivering a compelling performance as a misanthropic detective leading a diverse team to solve cold cases, with a well-crafted mystery and strong ensemble cast, promising potential for future seasons.
Police in New Mexico are investigating the discovery of up to 20 human skulls found in Lea County, potentially linked to cold cases of missing persons, including Angela McManes, who disappeared in 2019. The remains were discovered after a resident reported a suspicious encounter with a man named Cecil Villanueva, who allegedly disposed of human remains. The skulls are being analyzed for identification, and authorities are seeking public assistance in the investigation.
A breakthrough in fingerprint analysis by artificial intelligence has challenged the long-held belief that each fingerprint is unique, potentially leading to the solving of thousands of cold cases. The AI system identified similarities between apparently different fingerprints from the same person, which had eluded forensic analysis for decades. The findings, initially rejected by the forensics community, could lead to the revival of cold cases and the acquittal of innocent people. This research demonstrates the potential for AI-led scientific discovery and also has implications for computer fingerprint identification systems.
Virginia police announced that deceased fisherman Alan W. Wilmer Sr. was responsible for three 1980s killings, including the Colonial Parkway murders, due to new DNA evidence. The victims included David L. Knobling, Robin M. Edwards, and Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell. Wilmer's DNA was matched to evidence from the crime scenes, and authorities are investigating other potential connections. The cases were among a wave of cold cases solved through advances in DNA technology, bringing relief and closure to the victims' families.
Monique Olivier, the widow of French serial killer Michel Fourniret, is facing trial for her role in three murders, including the killing of a British woman in 1990. Olivier is charged with aiding and abetting the kidnapping and murder of the victims. The trial marks the first case for a recently created cold cases unit in France. Fourniret, known as the "ogre of the Ardennes," preyed on virgins and was charged with abduction, rape, and murder before his death in 2021. The victims were shot, strangled, or stabbed to death, and many of their bodies have never been found.
A suspect in a series of sexual assaults in Sacramento, California, over a decade ago has been identified and arrested using investigative genetic genealogy. Kabeh Cummings, 35, was apprehended in New York last week after a cold case investigation revealed a full DNA profile. Genetic genealogy allowed law enforcement to find extended family members of the perpetrator and build a family tree, leading them to Cummings. He has been charged with kidnapping, rape, sodomy, and other offenses and is being held without bail. This case highlights the effectiveness of DNA evidence and the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies in solving cold cases.
Investigators are searching the former property of notorious serial killer Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK Killer, in connection to long-unsolved missing persons and murder cases. Rader, who is serving 10 consecutive life terms for killing 10 people between 1974 and 1991, may have had more victims before his 2005 arrest. The search was prompted by the cold case investigation into the disappearance of a 16-year-old cheerleader in 1976. Rader's estranged daughter revealed that investigators dug a hole in an area where a shed once stood, suspecting evidence may have been hidden there.
Divers in Florida are searching a lake after 32 vehicles were reportedly found submerged. The discovery was made by volunteers hoping to solve cold cases. The vehicles are believed to have been abandoned, stolen, or used for joyrides before being dumped in the lake. Authorities are considering the possibility of fraud or other factors like homicide, but they do not believe any cold cases are tied to the vehicles.
Raul Meza Jr., a man linked to almost a dozen murders, has confessed to killing two people from San Antonio and is being investigated for at least eight to 10 cold cases going back to 1996. Meza was convicted in the 1982 death of 8-year-old Kendra Page and was sentenced to 30 years in prison but was released in 1993. He was arrested on May 29 by the U.S. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin and was found in possession of a backpack with duct tape, zip ties, and a .22 caliber gun.