A cold case is a crime, or a suspected crime, that has not yet been fully resolved and is not the subject of a current criminal investigation, but for which new information could emerge from new witness testimony, re-examined archives, new or retained material evidence, or fresh activities of a suspect.

What is considered a cold case?

Cold cases are defined as unsolved murders, long-term missing persons/ unidentified persons, undetermined deaths, and open sexual assault cases. This definition is outlined in the first of the cold case series, What is a Cold Case and How are They Solved.

What does a cold case detective do?

Cold case investigators typically work on unsolved cases of homicides, missing persons, police shootings, or unidentified victims, and must be compassionate when interviewing or corresponding with the victim's friends and family.