Cold case
From Free net encyclopedia
Cold case refers to a criminal investigation (or "case") that remains unsolved and "on the books". Typically, cold cases are violent or other major felony crimes, such as murder or rape which unlike unsolved minor crimes are generally not subject to a statute of limitations.
A case is considered unsolved until a suspect has been identified, charged, and tried for the crime. A case that goes to trial and does not result in a conviction can also be kept on the books pending new evidence. Many times, those investigating the case have a suspect in mind but have not been able to find evidence sufficient to charge the suspect with the crime.
With the advent of improving DNA testing and other forensics technology, many cold cases are being re-opened and prosecuted. Police departments are opening cold case units whose job is to re-examine cold case files.
Perhpas the oldest cold case ever solved [1] is the case of Judge Joseph Crater, a judge who stepped into a cab in 1930, and subsequently became the "missingest man in New York". In April 2005, evidence appeared in a handwitten note by Stella Ferrucci-Good, in an envelope reading "Do not open until my death", in which it locates where Crater's body is buried.[2]