Paul Feely did an excellent article on the NH Cold Case Unit. http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130204/NEWS03/130209690 He obviously did his research and it was refreshing to read an article that was filled with important information on the issue. What is the issue? The Cold Case Unit that continues to solve some of the toughest cases out there has not been included into the 2013 fiscal budget. The results? The NH Cold Case Unit will be dissolved as of June 30, 2013. If you are educated on the intricacy of solving cold cases you would understand the achievements of a Unit solving a 1989 quadruple homicide, 1988 double homicide, 2001 homicide, and helped to close a 1990 homicide. It is time consuming and difficult to work on a cold case. That is why law enforcement and Homicide Units do not have time to work cold cases; they are constantly working on current cases.
When a new lead comes in on a cold case they may activate it again but it is not worked on full-time if a Cold Case Unit is not in place. Local law enforcement and Homicide Units are constantly called out into the field to work current crimes scenes and homicides. What happens to the cold case they were working on? It sits and waits until time is available to pick it up again. This can be months, years even. Many of the old cases can be solved but it is a proactive process. It takes reactivating them, reviewing files, finding witnesses, interviewing old and new witnesses, going over new leads and going through all the evidence collected to see what new technology can be used to possibly solve the case. Sometimes files from an investigation are with local law enforcement, Sheriff’s Department, and State Police. All the files and evidence needs to be brought to one place to be reviewed. They are reviewing everything that was done in the past and that could include a case that was reactivated once before ten years ago. There is the original investigation, a reactivation investigation, and now new leads and evidence. Anyone that says local law enforcement and Homicide Units have time to work on these cases does not understand what is involved in solving a cold case.
Solving cold cases is not just about giving families justice it’s about stopping a murderer from murdering again. It’s about protecting the rest of society from one of the most heinous crimes. Every time a cold case is solved and a murderer is arrested it puts pressure on other murderers. Will I be next? . Individuals have come forward with information about someone who’s committed a murder because they fear being blamed. What kind of crimes does a murderer commit if not arrested? There isn’t any crime that he/she would not do once they have murdered. Every crime after is insignificant, even taking another persons life!
I have started a petition to make the NH Cold Case Unit a permanent agency. Please join me in the fight for justice, for the victims, their families and friends. A fight to secure our future against those that do not care about life except their own and the destruction they leave behind in the aftermath. Lift up your voice!
Justice ~ Unsolved Murders 