The Pima County Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit is responsible for investigating inactive homicide cases where the offense occurred in unincorporated Pima County, Arizona and the case is at least two (2) years old. All inactive cases are reviewed by the Pima County Attorney’s Office and Cold Case detectives to determine the solvability of each case. Once a case is assigned to the Cold Case Unit, detectives re-interview all individuals associated with the case, re-examine all evidence, and submit evidence for current more-advanced testing. Cases are investigated until all leads have been exhausted. There is never a guarantee that a case will be solved. Unsolved homicide cases are never closed.
It is hoped that improved technology will one day make all cases solvable.
Overview
Since the earliest days of law enforcement there has always been unsolved criminal events. None are more tragic for the victim’s family and the law enforcement officer than those involving homicide. Many factors play a role in law enforcement’s inability to resolve crimes such as homicides. Some of those factors are:
- Lack of evidence and/or witnesses
- Lack of resources and/or manpower
- Lack of training or scientific technology to examine existing evidence
Over the last decade many new resources and technological advances have been discovered which allow detectives to go back and re-review Cold Cases and dramatically increasing the potential of resolving those cases. These new resources include:
- DNA Sequencing - Mitochondrial DNA
- New evidence collection procedures
- New and/or improved evidence collection tools
- Advanced technology of computer software
- Fingerprint identification
- Photo and video enhancement
- Crime scene processing
- Crime scene re-enactment
- Community outreach to solicit information
- Expanded news media coverage
- Tip lines
- Internet websites
- Ballistic databases
- DNA databases
- Required DNA samples from all individuals convicted of felonies
|
