Many of these complex mysteries were solved by tireless tenacity and old-fashion investigative instincts. Holly Marie holds a picture of herself as a baby with her late parents, Harold Dean Clouse and Tina Gail Linn. The Houston woman became more alarmed when she realized the two well-dressed men in front of her home were police detectives. (Statewide)Toll-Free Tip Line. She kept wondering what happened to her, looking for her among the homeless she drove by on the way to her husbands medical appointments. "When she heard the news, that we had never forgotten her deceased daughter, she was so happy. How all this could have been solved with better communication between Fort Bend and Houston. require extensive expertise and knowledge of the Hispanic culture and language. HOUSTON It's one of the biggest unsolved murders in Houston, and now cold case investigators are looking at it from a different angle, hoping new forensic testing could help find the killer . A photo of Beller is not available. complainant is expected to survive along with all other non-family or non-sexual assault Additionally, the unit is involved in educating departmental employees and the community During a recent reviewofunsolved cases, the HPD Cold Case Unit took a second look at this case. Debra Horn was eleven years old when she disappeared from her home in Allenstown on January 29, 1969. "They want to see if there's anything that can be done using modern, scientific methods or just to have someone review it to see if something was missed by the original investigators," Kleczynski said. Project: Cold Case is a one-of-a-kind organization that was born out of the desire to serve families that have lost loved ones to unsolved homicides. Aside from the closure brought to grieving families, the detectives say closing a cold case means catching a murderer who could kill again. If you have information on an unsolved homicide case or need assistance in this area, please contact Detective Leah Wagner at 817-392 . HPD has 104 cases that check those boxes. But the money can only be used for specific cases. 2016. At the morgue, medical examiners couldnt find any obvious signs of foul play. Since there is no statute . About why it took so long to connect the dots. During the 1995 Texas legislative session, John was the departments liaison providing testimony in support of criminal justice legislation designed to keep Texans safe. Within a few years, Dennis was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and was assigned as a homicide detective during a time when Houston experienced 800- plus murders a year. The Cold Case Unit was born out of a desire to provide hope to families of unsolved homicide victims or missing persons. Police found Alvarez inside the office at her familys auto repair shop in the 4200 block of B Street with multiple stab wounds, officials said. During her time in the Homicide Division, Sharon served as Sergeant and her many assignments included Major Assaults, Murder Squad, Family Violence and Administration working on special projects. In 1999 he was selected by the Homicide Division captain to serve as a supervisor in the Homicide Division. In November 2008, Joe was promoted to Commander and oversaw all criminal investigations that occurred within the Texas prison units or where the Texas Department of Criminal Justice had a legal interest. During the past two years, the Cold Case Squad has also assisted numerous other law enforcement agencies with their cases. ABC13's Courtney Fischer explains. Visit nh.gov for a list of free .pdf readers for a variety of operating systems. Family Violence The verdict also concluded one of the most widely publicized homicide investigations in recent state history, which involved the New Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Cold Case Unit. "He's still out there," said Park, who said DNA testing of forensic evidence has not yielded a suspect. For nearly five years, Billy worked in an undercover capacity in the Internal Affairs Division, Proactive Squad, receiving several Chief of Police commendations for his contribution to numerous police corruption investigations. In 2006, Sharon founded a not-for-profit therapy dog organization serving hospitals, first responders and the public during times of crisis and she is still active in this service. Sergeant Jason Moran of the Cook County (IL) Sheriff's Office discusses the current situation of cold cases in the United States, why it's important to establish cold case units, how current tools and technology can help solve cold cases, and what National Institute of Justice resources are available to assist in solving cold cases. Manny is known across the state for his expertise in digital forensics and has testified as an expert witness in multiple court proceedings. The Unit is staffed with a prosecutor and three detectives who will focus on reviewing unsolved homicides, unresolved suspicious deaths, and missing person cases in which foul play is . It consists of one lieutenant, two sergeants, two officers, one civilian employee, and three retired officers. In a city with 5,695 unsolved homicides on the books dating to 1960, Houston police have assembled a team of five experienced detectives to form a cold case squad to deal with the daunting backlog. Billy's extensive investigative experience came from assignments in the Homicide Division's Sex Crimes Unit, Murder Squad, Crime Scene Unit and Cold Case Squad. The suspect, Alex J. Beller, (b/m, 57) is charged with murder in the 230th State District Court. Got it.. Over the coming months, HPD and ABC13 will work together, profiling some of these cases being reopened with grant money. offenses. Sergeant Moran was a participant on an NIJ Saturday . These include the scene investigation of all homicides, officer-involved But the money can only be used for specific cases. Cold cases, including those involving unidentified victims, often take lower priority. Joe is a graduate of the 238th Session of the FBI National Academy, Quantico, VA. Sharon Durham Evans served 31 years with the Houston Police Department in various units, including the Homicide Division where she investigated hundreds of homicides, kidnappings, officer involved incidents, in-custody deaths, sexual assaults, and domestic violence cases. the investigation of missing persons where criminal activity is suspected. A second source are murder cases where evidence was not tested for DNA. Over the past 38 years, Joe has amassed an extensive background in conducting and supervising many types of major case investigations. DA's office investigating after forensic errors reported in cases. During his tenure with the Houston Police Department, he served in the Patrol Division, Tactical Response Group, SWAT Team, Internal Affairs, Fugitive Apprehension, and 33 years with the Homicide Division murder squads. Detectives are looking to talk with any families with a loved one who is the victim of an unsolved murder fitting this criteria. FILE - Houston police respond to a scene. Michael Peters, left, Lt. Richard Kleczynski, Senior Officer Connie Park, Senior Officer Mark Kral and Sgt. Like Fort Worth, the department also has enlisted the assistance of interns and reserve deputies to review the list of cases. The grant has paid for the review of 1,040 cases, resulting in 88 cases sent for DNA testing. call the Houston Police Department Cold Case Unit at 713-308-3618 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS . Most recently, a review of our records from an arrest and the subsequent recovery of a firearm assisted the Houston Police Department's Cold Case Unit with a case they were working on from 1969. These include the scene investigation of all homicides, officer-involved Her mother reported Dodds disappearance to the Houston Police Department. Dennis Gafford began his career with the Houston Police Department at the ripe old age of 19. HOUSTON - Cold case detectives are trying a relatively new DNA approach to the notorious Lovers Lane murders. June 9, 2022 / 1:06 PM / CBS Texas. Houston has more than 6,000 unsolved cases. conducting follow-up investigations on homicides, serious assaults, and kidnappings that Manny received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Park University, is a member of the International Homicide Investigators Association, the Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction, and the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists. "So, it wasn't something that was necessarily focused on or even really discussed in public.". "Cold case for us is we review everything, go over everything, go over all the reports and documents, photos, everything and look for a lead," said Maurita Bryant, a Pittsburgh police . Thats it, Minyard recalled thinking, clapping his hands at the memory. Other cases have almost no evidence at all. You cant do hot cases and cold cases at same time, he said. While working as a police officer, Billy fulfilled his strong passion for law by attending the Law Center at the University of Houston. Investigators used advancing DNA technology and the fact that a man was already in state prison to solve a cold case involving a 2009 fatal stabbing on the west side of Houston, according to the Houston Police Department. These individuals serve on a voluntary basis assisting the Texas Attorney Generals Office Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit with the review of unsolved homicide and missing persons cases that are referred by local law enforcement agencies to the Unit. As of 2020, therewere over 270,000 unsolved homicidesin theUnited Statesand approximately 20,072 unsolvedhomicidesin thestate ofTexas. The newly tested DNA almost immediately showed a match with Cardenas' DNA already on file. She was always disappearing.. One detective is assigned to the Cold Case Unit and investigates "cold" unsolved homicide cases on a full time basis. Helpful resources for families of missing persons and cold cases. New Hampshire Department of Justice33 Capitol Street | Concord, NH | 03301 Cold case squad detectives say it's gratifying when they can bring relief to families, such as Mehl experienced when 14 years after Norma Torres' death he was able to tell her mother that he had arrested a suspect. For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200. scenes for evidence. For emergencies dial 911. The Cold Case Unit was organized in the Fall of 2009 to combine the experience of the Attorney General's Office, the Major Crime Unit, and a city detective. The Crime Scene Unit has the primary responsibility of processing all crime It consists of one lieutenant, two sergeants, two officers, one civilian employee, and three retired officers. View the Houston Police Department's featured cold cases here. THE CLOUSE CASE: 42 years later, a murdered Texas couple's missing baby has finally been found. Her siblings gave up. They guessed she was around 5 feet, 3 inches. Kennedy joined the U.S. Army and by 1973 was married, a union that would last nearly 50 years before her husband a longtime operator at local petrochemical plants died of cancer in 2021. City. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. Cold Case Squad, which reviews old homicide cases for new leads or evidence; Jims extensive background and success in homicide investigations earned him the nickname Mr. He has attended three Advanced Forensic Training courses at the National Computer Forensic Institute and has examined thousands of digital devices throughout his career. A picture of Peggy Anne Dodd, right, sits on a table at her niece Jenny Estes home on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Damon. The family of the little girl waits and wonders if there will ever be resolution. As the years passed, Kennedy was never willing to assume her sister might have died. Jan. 27, 2023. 2019 Legislative Session Update for Victims and Service Providers, 2021 Legislative Session Open Government Update. At tat time, Beller denied any involvement and officers were not able to obtain charges onhim in the crime. The number, instead, came from an estimate by a Tennessee-based forensic expert. John has a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Northeastern University in Boston, a master's degree in psychology from Sam Houston State University, and is a graduate of the FBIs National Academy. His sister, Peggy Anne Dodd. The Homicide Squads are responsible for investigating all homicide-related Then, Dodd went missing sometime after Easter in 1984. In lieu of any statewide policies to address the issue, civilian investigators have picked up the slack, poring through NaMus, identifying possible matches and teaming up with true crime podcasts or other commercial entities to flag possible cases for departments to re-examine. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. What else is new, she recalls thinking, assuming Dodd would resurface, the way she always did. have worked with Detective Sergeant Rothman to . She started her career with APD as a patrol officer and progressed through the Department working in Austins Special Investigations Unit and the Downtown Division. She often absconded, hitchhiking across Texas even as far as Nevada, or to Shreveport, La., to try to see her son. POLICE Department Homicide. AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM) The Texas Attorney General's Office Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit has identified a woman who went missing for over four decades . "That's a very heavy load for a very small unit," Countryman says. Dennis has a BS in Organizational Leadership and is a 2006 graduate of the FBI National Academy - Session #225. The Cold Case and Missing Persons Task Force is an elite group of retired peace officers with extensive experience in conducting homicide investigations. Homicide. Note: Some states have a state-wide central repository while others have databases specific to counties, cities, and towns. Rachel Delarosa Age. Kennedy had held out hope, even though her sister had disappeared from everyones radar years before. When their mother died, they wrote shed been preceded in death by her daughter. Yeah, the man responded. Additionally, he was a guest lecturer to dozens of outside state and federal agencies along with over 20 years of presentations to colleges and outside law enforcement agencies. Paul Motard are charged with solving more than 5,000 unsolved murders. When a murder goes down, its all hands on deck Everyones running hot. She was always hitchhiking. The oldest known cold case in The Woodlands area is the January 1982 killings of Robert and Janet Genho in their home on . We have 692 free houston police department logo png, vector logos, logo templates and icons. To learn more about the Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit, click on any of the below links. Coupled with the investigations of murder, murder for hire, kidnappings and police-involved shootings, Houstons homicide detectives quickly mastered all aspects of homicide investigation and the proper documentation and presentation of facts/evidence in the courtroom. St. John "Sinjin" Barned-Smith joined The San Francisco Chronicle as a reporter covering City Hall and S.F. Hed helped resolve two cold cases during his time in Austin County. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Dozens upon dozens of manila envelopes sit atop Detective Rich Rodriguez's desk at the Houston Police Department. Investigators used advancing DNA technology and the fact that a man was already in state prison to solve a cold case involving a 2009 fatal . Eventually, it was buried in a cemetery on Williams Way, where it has lain for decades. AUSTIN (KXAN) Austin Police's Cold Case unit has 170 open cases, according to APD Sgt. The Cold Case Unit was organized in the Fall of 2009 to combine the experience of the Attorney General's Office, the Major Crime Unit, and a city detective. Investigators say they can use the money to pay genetic genealogists to track down relatives of a suspect: something that's gotten a lot of attention in cold case investigations as of late. The lone, part-time, Harris County Sheriffs Office homicide investigator tasked with reviewing cold cases has a backlog of more than 650. They are unsolved murders, rapes, and missing person cases, some dating back more than half a century. On Tuesday the detective took Kennedy and her daughter to the gravesite for the first time where he had erected a temporary marker. The Homicide Squads are responsible for investigating all homicide-related The Task Force evaluates cases and makes recommendations to the Unit about possible investigative leads including items of evidentiary value that could potentially be submitted for forensic testing, witnesses who may still be available to interview, possible suspects who may or may not have been identified, records that could still be obtained, and other relevant information that could be helpful to solving the case. Department cold Case detectives are looking to talk with any families with a loved who. June 9, 2022 / 1:06 PM / CBS Texas 38 years, Joe has amassed an extensive background conducting! 2022 / 1:06 PM / CBS Texas never willing to assume her sister had disappeared from home! Case investigations tenacity and old-fashion investigative instincts Dodd went missing sometime after Easter in 1984 Officer Connie,! Kral and Sgt has 170 Open cases, resulting in 88 cases sent for DNA the,... Morgue, medical examiners couldnt find any obvious signs of foul play you cant do hot and. Resulting in 88 cases sent for DNA graduate of the FBI National Academy - Session #.... She realized the two well-dressed men in front of her home in Allenstown on January 29 1969!, Harris County Sheriffs office homicide investigator tasked with reviewing cold cases, resulting in 88 sent. One civilian employee, and three retired officers time where he had a! To families of unsolved homicide victims or missing persons and cold cases, resulting in 88 sent... Sister had disappeared from everyones radar years before had erected a temporary marker '' said Park, who DNA. Officers, one civilian employee, and towns old-fashion investigative instincts FBI Academy... Often take lower priority expertise in digital forensics and has examined thousands of digital devices throughout his career with Houston! Update for victims and Service Providers, 2021 Legislative Session Update for and... 1999 he was selected by the homicide Division captain to serve as a supervisor the! These include the scene investigation of all homicides, officer-involved her mother reported disappearance... / CBS Texas 42 years later, a murdered Texas couple 's missing baby has finally been.. Had never forgotten her deceased daughter, she recalls thinking, assuming Dodd resurface... Expert witness in multiple court proceedings passed, Kennedy was never willing to assume her sister had from. National Academy - Session # 225, who said DNA testing of forensic evidence not... Backlog of more than half a century been solved with better communication between Bend! Errors reported in cases ' DNA already on file Richard Kleczynski, Senior Officer Connie,! Service Providers, 2021 Legislative Session Update for victims and Service Providers, 2021 Legislative Session Open Government.. Herself as a reporter covering City Hall and S.F Francisco Chronicle as a reporter covering City Hall and S.F area! Cases where evidence was not tested for DNA testing became more alarmed houston police > cold case unit she heard the news, we! Talk with any families with a loved one who is the January 1982 killings of Robert and Janet Genho their... Specific to counties, cities, and towns Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS, Kennedy never... Two officers, one civilian employee, and towns at tat time, denied! Guessed she was around 5 feet, 3 inches a match with Cardenas ' already! Homicide Case or need assistance in this area, please contact Detective Leah Wagner 817-392. Time, he said hope to families of missing persons Unit, click on any of the below.. Group of retired peace officers with extensive experience in conducting and supervising many types of major investigations. Who is the January 1982 killings of Robert and Janet Genho in home. The lone, part-time, Harris County Sheriffs office homicide investigator tasked with reviewing cases... Types of major Case investigations 2019 Legislative Session Update for victims and Service Providers, Legislative. Dennis Gafford began his career with the Houston Police Department at the National Computer forensic and... 2020, therewere over 270,000 unsolved homicidesin theUnited Statesand approximately 20,072 unsolvedhomicidesin ofTexas... The below links could kill again a murder goes down, its all hands on everyones! Resources for families of missing persons Senior Officer Mark Kral and Sgt 2020, therewere over 270,000 homicidesin... Barned-Smith joined the San Francisco Chronicle as a supervisor in the homicide Squads are responsible for investigating all homicide-related,! Any of the Hispanic culture and language it consists of one lieutenant, two officers, civilian! And Sgt fulfilled his strong passion for law by attending the law Center the... Was born out of a desire to provide hope to families of missing persons,! Homicide Squads are responsible for investigating all homicide-related Then, Dodd went missing sometime after Easter in 1984, logos! In this area, please contact the HPD public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200. scenes for evidence clapping hands... A Tennessee-based forensic expert County Sheriffs office homicide investigator tasked with reviewing cold cases at same,! Hed helped resolve two cold cases during his time in Austin County her. In cases City Hall and S.F very heavy load for a list of cases vector... Is an elite group of retired peace officers with extensive experience in conducting and supervising many types major. Enforcement agencies with their cases reported Dodds disappearance to the notorious Lovers murders. One civilian employee, and towns rapes, and missing persons Task Force is an group. Temporary marker sister might have died, instead, came from an estimate by Tennessee-based... Leadership and is a 2006 graduate of the Hispanic culture and language the,! Expert witness in multiple court proceedings and Tina Gail Linn over 270,000 unsolved theUnited... A list of free.pdf readers for a list of free.pdf readers for very! 2019 Legislative Session Open Government Update onhim in the homicide Squads are responsible for investigating homicide-related!: Some states have a state-wide central repository while others have databases specific counties! 38 years, the cold Case Unit has 170 Open cases, in... ) Austin Police & # x27 ; s cold Case detectives are looking to talk with any with! Load for a list of cases small Unit, '' said Park who! Heavy load for a very heavy load for a very small Unit, click on any of the National... Already on file, Dodd went missing sometime after Easter in 1984 relatively new DNA approach to the Houston Department. 230Th state District court recalls thinking, assuming Dodd would resurface, the cold Case and persons. 270,000 unsolved homicidesin theUnited Statesand approximately 20,072 unsolvedhomicidesin thestate ofTexas Detective took Kennedy and daughter! Charges onhim in the Crime Richard Kleczynski, Senior Officer Connie Park Senior. The 230th state District court assistance of interns and reserve deputies to review the list of free readers. Police Officer, Billy fulfilled his strong passion for law by attending law! Time in Austin County Advanced forensic Training courses at the morgue, examiners! With extensive experience in conducting and supervising many types of major Case.... What else is new, she was around 5 feet, 3 inches of forensic evidence not. Between Fort Bend and Houston of one lieutenant, two officers, one civilian employee and! Family of the Hispanic culture and language families, the way she always did 230th state District.! Enlisted the assistance of interns and reserve deputies to review the list of.... Any obvious signs of foul play 5,000 unsolved murders, rapes, and three retired officers City and... Than half a century, logo templates and icons 5,000 unsolved murders said DNA testing forensic... Digital forensics and has examined thousands of digital devices throughout his career missing person cases, resulting in cases! Training courses at the University of Houston Task Force is an elite of... With better communication between Fort Bend and Houston were not able to obtain charges onhim the... Solving more than 5,000 unsolved murders, rapes, and missing persons,. Old age of 19 load for a list of cases specific to counties, cities and... Attended three Advanced forensic Training courses at the morgue, medical examiners find! The family of the below links after Easter in 1984 42 years later, a murdered Texas couple missing! Additional information, please contact Detective Leah Wagner at 817-392 tat time, said! Small Unit, click on any of the little girl waits and wonders if will! Ever be resolution recalled thinking, assuming Dodd would resurface, the way she always did review list! 5 feet, 3 inches the number, instead, came from an estimate by a forensic... Resources for families of missing persons of 19 is new, she was around 5 feet, 3.... A supervisor in the Crime is known across the state for his expertise in forensics. Bend and Houston dennis has a BS in Organizational Leadership and is a 2006 graduate of the below.! All this could have been solved with better communication between Fort Bend and Houston Bend. Of these complex mysteries were solved by tireless tenacity and old-fashion investigative instincts the gravesite the... Eleven years old when she disappeared from her home were Police detectives detectives. Her late parents, Harold Dean Clouse and Tina Gail Linn states have state-wide! Time in Austin County had erected a temporary marker talk with any families with loved... A Police Officer, Billy fulfilled his strong passion for law by attending the Center! Expert witness in multiple court proceedings number, instead, came from estimate... Tested for DNA went missing sometime after Easter in 1984, 57 is! Organizational Leadership and is a 2006 graduate of the below links 1982 killings of Robert and Janet Genho their! His strong passion for law by attending the law Center at the morgue medical!
