Show Menu
Cheatography
  1. Home >
  2. Cheat Sheets >

Cold Case Studies Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

Cold Case Studies notes

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

Introd­uction to Cold Case Studies

Definition and Scope:
Cold Cases: Unsolved criminal invest­iga­tions, often homicides or missing persons cases, that remain open but have not been solved after a consid­erable time, typically due to lack of evidence, leads, or resources.
 
Importance of Cold Case Studies: These cases are crucial for unders­tanding long-term invest­igative challe­nges, advances in forensic science, and the impact of unsolved crimes on victims' families and commun­ities.
Historical Backgr­ound:
The concept of cold cases has evolved with advanc­ements in forensic science and the ability of law enforc­ement to revisit old cases with new technology and method­olo­gies.
Challenges of Cold Case Invest­iga­tions:
Aging Evidence: Degrad­ation of physical evidence over time can make it difficult to obtain reliable results.
 
Witness Availa­bility: Witnesses may no longer be alive, or their memories may have faded, leading to unreliable testimony.
 
Techno­logical Limita­tions: Older cases were often invest­igated with less advanced techno­logy, which may limit the scope of evidence that can be analyzed.

The Process of Cold Case Invest­igation

Reopening a Cold Case:
Criteria for Reopening: Cases may be reopened if new evidence emerges, such as a new witness, techno­logical advances that can re-examine old evidence, or a change in the invest­igative approach.
 
Case Review: Invest­igators begin by reviewing all existing files, evidence, and interv­iews, often with fresh perspe­ctives or teams not involved in the original invest­iga­tion.
Invest­igative Techni­ques:
DNA Analysis: Advances in DNA techno­logy, such as familial DNA searching or touch DNA, allow invest­igators to revisit old evidence and potent­ially identify suspects.
 
Digital Forensics: Recovering and analyzing digital evidence from old devices, records, or commun­ica­tions that were previously inacce­ssible.
 
Geographic Profiling: Using crime scene data to predict the most likely location of the offender’s residence or base of operat­ions.
 
Victim­ology: Re-exa­mining the victim’s life, relati­ons­hips, and behavior to uncover new motives or connec­tions that were overlooked initially.
Collab­oration and Multi-­Agency Task Forces:
Intera­gency Cooper­ation: Collab­oration between different law enforc­ement agencies, forensic experts, and cold case units can provide fresh insights and resources.
 
Public and Media Involv­ement: Engaging the public through media can generate new leads, as people may come forward with inform­ation after seeing news reports or docume­ntaries on cold cases.

Advances in Forensic Science and Technology

Forensic DNA Techno­logy:
Y-STR Analysis: A type of DNA analysis that targets the Y chromo­some, useful in cases where male DNA is mixed with female DNA.
 
Mitoch­ondrial DNA (mtDNA): Can be used to identify remains when tradit­ional DNA analysis is not possible, partic­ularly in cases with degraded samples.
 
Familial DNA Searching: Identifies potential relatives of the suspect, which can lead to the identi­fic­ation of the perpet­rator.
Advances in Finger­print Analysis:
AFIS (Automated Finger­print Identi­fic­ation Systems): Allows for the re-ana­lysis of finger­prints using updated databases and enhanced comparison techni­ques.
 
Latent Print Reanal­ysis: New methods for detecting and analyzing latent prints that were previously unusable due to techno­logical limita­tions.
Digital and Cyber Forensics:
Data Recovery: Advanced techniques for recovering deleted or corrupted data from old devices.
 
Social Media Analysis: Utilizing social media platforms to track down witnesses or suspects and gather inform­ation about their wherea­bouts or activities during the time of the crime.
 

Psycho­logical and Sociol­ogical Aspects

Criminal Profiling in Cold Cases:
Behavioral Analysis: Applying modern behavioral analysis techniques to old cases can help develop new profiles of potential suspects.
 
Victim­-Of­fender Relati­onship: Re-eva­luating the relati­onship between the victim and the offender can provide new insights into the motive and opport­unity.
The Impact on Victims' Families:
Long-Term Trauma: Families of victims often experience prolonged grief and lack of closure, which can have signif­icant psycho­logical impacts.
 
Advocacy and Support Groups: Families often form or join support groups that advocate for the reopening of cold cases and provide mutual support.
Public Interest and Cold Cases:
Media Influence: High-p­rofile cold cases often receive extensive media coverage, which can renew public interest and lead to new inform­ation.
 
The Role of Docume­ntaries and Podcasts: Shows and podcasts focused on cold cases have become popular, often leading to public tips that aid invest­iga­tions.

Case Studies of Notable Cold Cases

The Golden State Killer:
Backgr­ound: A series of rapes and murders in California during the 1970s and 1980s that remained unsolved for decades.
 
Breakt­hrough: The case was solved in 2018 using genetic genealogy, which led to the arrest of Joseph James DeAnge­lo.S­ig­nif­icance: This case highli­ghted the potential of modern DNA technology and genetic databases in solving cold cases.
 
Signif­icance: This case highli­ghted the potential of modern DNA technology and genetic databases in solving cold cases.
The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey:
Backgr­ound: The 1996 murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey in her Colorado home remains unsolved, despite extensive invest­iga­tion.
 
Challe­nges: The case has been plagued by misman­age­ment, media sensat­ion­alism, and confli­cting theories.
 
Ongoing Invest­iga­tion: New advances in DNA analysis and continued public interest keep this case active.
The Disapp­earance of Etan Patz:
Backgr­ound: Etan Patz disapp­eared in New York City in 1979, leading to one of the most extensive missing child invest­iga­tions in U.S. history.
 
Resolu­tion: In 2017, Pedro Hernandez was convicted of Etan’s murder, following a cold case invest­igation that revisited old leads and confes­sions.
 
Impact: The case led to signif­icant changes in how missing children cases are handled and the creation of National Missing Children’s Day.

Ethical and Legal Consid­era­tions

Statute of Limita­tions:
Challe­nges: While murder typically has no statute of limita­tions, other crimes related to cold cases may be time-b­arred, compli­cating prosec­utions.
 
Exceptions and Revisions: Some jurisd­ictions have revised laws to extend or eliminate statutes of limita­tions for certain crimes, partic­ularly in light of new forensic methods.
Handling of Old Evidence:
Preser­vation Issues: Ensuring that evidence from decade­s-old cases is properly stored and preserved is crucial, as mishan­dling can lead to contam­ination or degrad­ation.
 
Chain of Custody: Mainta­ining a clear and documented chain of custody is essential to ensure the admiss­ibility of evidence in court.
Rights of the Accused:
Due Process: Reopening cold cases must be done with care to ensure that the rights of suspects are protected, partic­ularly if they are being charged decades after the crime occurred.
 
Double Jeopardy: Legal protec­tions against double jeopardy can complicate cold case prosec­utions, partic­ularly if the suspect was previously acquitted.
 

The Role of Technology in Cold Case Solutions

Genetic Genealogy:
Technique: Combines DNA analysis with geneal­ogical research to identify suspects through family trees.
 
Success Stories: Used succes­sfully in multiple high-p­rofile cold cases, including the Golden State Killer.
Artificial Intell­igence and Machine Learning:
Pattern Recogn­ition: AI tools can analyze vast amounts of data to detect patterns or connec­tions that human invest­igators might miss.
 
Predictive Policing: Using data to predict where crimes might have occurred or where suspects might be located.
Database and Inform­ation Sharing:
National and Intern­ational Databases: Systems like CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) in the U.S. and INTERPOL’s DNA database help in matching DNA profiles across different jurisd­ict­ions.
 
Case Management Systems: Modern software allows for better organi­zation, retrieval, and analysis of case inform­ation.

Future Directions in Cold Case Invest­iga­tions

Interd­isc­ipl­inary Approa­ches:
Collab­oration with Academia: Partne­rships with univer­sities and research instit­utions can provide fresh insights and innovative method­ologies for cold case invest­iga­tions.
 
Integr­ation of Social Sciences: Applying sociol­ogical and psycho­logical theories to better understand the context of cold cases and potential motives.
Public Involv­ement and Crowds­our­cing:
Citizen Detect­ives: Online commun­ities and forums where indivi­duals collab­orate to analyze and discuss cold cases, sometimes providing leads to law enforc­ement.
 
Crowds­ourced Funding: Raising funds for DNA testing or invest­igative resources through crowdf­unding platforms.
Ethical Consid­era­tions:
Privacy Concerns: Balancing the use of genetic data and other personal inform­ation in invest­iga­tions with the privacy rights of indivi­duals.
 
Impact on Families: Ensuring that the reopening of cold cases is handled sensit­ively, consid­ering the emotional toll on victims' families.

Conclusion

Importance of Persis­tence in Justice:
Cold case invest­iga­tions demons­trate the importance of persis­tence in the pursuit of justice. Advances in technology and invest­igative techniques have breathed new life into cases once thought unsolv­able.
The Human Element:
Beyond the science and techno­logy, cold cases remind us of the human stories at their core—of victims, families, and commun­ities seeking closure and justice.
The Evolving Field:
The field of cold case invest­iga­tions continues to evolve, integr­ating new tools and method­olo­gies. The lessons learned from past cases inform the strategies for solving future ones.