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By Maj. Mike Richmond
OSI Public Affairs
"Cold cases" are generating a lot of heat throughout OSI.
Thanks to a new initiative at headquarters, confidence is flourishing that many cold cases will soon be resolved.
The reason: technology.
Advances in crime-fighting technology have enabled investigators to reopen cold cases with a heightened sense of optimism. Accordingly, OSI has begun a cold-case initiative that is revisiting all unresolved death cases since 1980.
According to project officer Maj. Bob Hunkeler, the project is being met with great enthusiasm.
"Everybody involved has gotten goosebumps," Hunkeler said. "We know we're going to resolve some of the cases."
Hunkeler cited three technological advancements he expects to benefit the cause: the "Automated Fingerprint Identification System," or AFIS; the "Integrated Ballistics Identification System," or IBIS; and the "Combined DNA Identification System,', or CODIS.
Each system is a vast database for fingerprint, ballistics, and DNA evidence gathered from crime scenes anywhere in the nation. The databases allow an investigator to input newly collected evidence and search for matches. When a match is found, huge leaps can be made in the current investigation.
"For example, if a handgun is confiscated at a crime scene, it can be taken back to the lab, test-fired, and then inputted into IBIS," Hunkeler said.
IBIS then searches its database for a match of the ballistic markings. If a match is made, it means that same handgun was used in a crime elsewhere.
"You then have access to all the leads and information from any previous investigations that the handgun was part of before, like other people's names, other locations the handgun was used, and whatever physical evidence that may be of use," Hunkeler said.
What IBIS does for ballistic evidence, CODIS and AFIS do for DNA and fingerprints.
"Our plan is to revisit cold death cases, input some of this old evidence into these new databases, and see what matches come up," Hunkeler said. "This is sure to generate new information and new leads."
Hunkeler said a critical aspect of the initiative is involvement by the servicing forensic science consultants, who will conduct in-depth scientific reviews of the cases. The FSCs will coordinate laboratory analysis and ensure current forensic technologies are applied to the evidence. They'll also work with local agencies and laboratories to conduct the AFIS, CODIS, and IBIS database searches.
In addition to technology, good old-fashioned investigative know-how is also being brought to bear. And it's coming from an interesting source - Reserve OSI agents.
Spearheading their involvement is Maj. Kim Reid, the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to Hunkeler.
Reid said a call for volunteers went out to the Reservists in October, requesting those interested to lend their death-case experience.
"We've gotten responses from all over the country," she said. "They're fired up. They love that they're involved."
Those getting on board are seasoned homicide and forensics investigators.
"They do this kind of work day in and day out," Reid said. "That kind of experience far exceeds the death-case experience of a typical OSI agent, many of whom may conduct only a few death investigations their entire OSI careers."
For the OSI detachments appointed to investigate each case, the Reservists' experience is expected to produce a wealth of case-cracking insights, including suggested leads and investigative techniques, plus recommended resources and advice on the presentation of evidence to civilian prosecutors.
Like Hunkeler, Reid expects results. "I definitely think we're going to have some successes," she said.
Hunkeler said he intends to proceed with the 20-year reach-back in five-year segments. To date, 13 cold death cases, reaching back to 1995, have been pulled for reexamination. Just how many cases will ultimately be reopened is anyone's guess. But Hunkeler is not discouraged by the workload.
"Twenty years of cases is going to be daunting," he said. "But it's definitely the right thing to do."
[Courtesy AFOSI Public Affairs]
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