Cold Cases Remain Unsolved

In the United States, thousands of violent crimes and missing persons investigations sit in a state of limbo. These unfortunate cold cases are not necessarily mysteries that cannot be solved, but rather casualties of a strained system where resources are finite and new emergencies occur daily. For the families left behind, the silence from law enforcement can feel like abandonment, but experts suggest the reality is often a matter of logistics rather than apathy.

The Systemic Reasons why Cold Cases Accumulate

Aaron Benzick, a detective with over two decades of experience investigating violent crimes, identifies a systemic issue in modern policing: the “numbers game.” To address this gap, Benzick founded “Solve the Case,” a nonprofit organization set up to leverage the internet and citizen involvement to assist law enforcement.

The goal is to move stagnant investigations forward not by criticizing police work, but by organizing data and generating fresh leads for cases that have been forced to the back burner. The goal is to move stagnant investigations forward not by criticizing police work, but by organizing data and generating fresh leads for cases that have been forced to the back burner.

The emotional toll of cold cases on families

Behind every file number is a family living in a suspended state of grief. The passage of time does not diminish the need for answers; in many ways, it intensifies it. Benzick highlights the case of Jennifer Day to illustrate this enduring pain. In 1985, Day was a 14-year-old girl working at a donut shop when she was kidnapped. She was missing for several days before being found deceased in a field in Plano, Texas. Decades later, her brother, who also worked at that shop, continues to think about the case daily. For families like Day’s, the silence is deafening.

They often find themselves in a difficult position: they want to advocate for their loved ones, but they fear alienating the detectives assigned to the case. An emotional reaction to a lack of progress in cold cases can lead to a communication breakdown, or a “stalemate,” where law enforcement stops providing updates because there is simply nothing new to report. Breaking this cycle requires a shift in how families and the public engage with the justice system.

Utilizing public information to solve cold cases

Yellow Crime Scene tape could be seen running along a house nearby as a Topeka police office talked on a cell phone the morning of Dec. 5 in the area where three people had been shot the previous evening in the 2400 block of SW Tara. © Tim Hrenchir/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While forensic technology like DNA testing often grabs headlines, the solution to many cold cases lies in human memory and conscience. Over time, relationships change, and allegiances shift. People who may have been afraid to speak up decades ago often mature, have children of their own, and develop a different perspective on justice.

According to the Carolina Journal, Cold case expert Joe Kennedy, former director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service didn’t mince words of the problem of cold cases in the United States. He said, per the Carolina Journal, “There is a cold case crisis in the United States.” The digital age has introduced a new tool for investigators: social media.

While online discourse can sometimes produce “noise” or unhelpful theories, the ability to target specific geographic areas with information is invaluable. Social media algorithms can place a victim’s face or a suspect’s description directly in front of the people most likely to recognize them—those living in the community where the crime occurred.

The role of social media in resolving cold cases

The digital age has introduced a new tool for investigators: social media. While online discourse can sometimes produce “noise” or unhelpful theories, the ability to target specific geographic areas with information is invaluable. Social media algorithms can place a victim’s face or a suspect’s description directly in front of the people most likely to recognize them—those living in the community where the crime occurred.

This approach has yielded tangible results. This approach has yielded tangible results. Benzick recounted a specific success story to A&E involving a fugitive from San Antonio, Texas. While law enforcement had identified the suspect, the individual had gone on the run and evaded capture.

Beznick sais to A&E, “A random person that we didn’t know had information on that fugitive and they submitted a tip and provided an address directly to us that they hadn’t provided to other law enforcement tip channels. We funnel it directly to law enforcement. We received that tip on a Friday. By Monday morning, the detective sends us a picture of him walking that fugitive through the jail.”

The modern approach to solving cold cases requires a “force multiplier.” Law enforcement cannot do it alone. Steps are responsibly organizing public records, identifying known offenders in specific areas, and keeping the names of victims in the public eye. This way the community becomes an extension of the investigative team. This collaborative model offers a path forward for families who feel forgotten. It shifts the dynamic from passive waiting to active, organized advocacy.

Whether it is re-examining ballistic evidence or testing a blanket sitting in an evidence locker for forty years, the goal remains the same: to ensure that a lack of current resources does not mean a permanent denial of justice.