New Hampshire Department of Justice33 Capitol Street | Concord, NH | 03301 Sometimes a cold case yields surprising results, such as the September arrest of a Houston man who had confessed 22 years ago to killing an 11-year-old boy. As the years passed, Kennedy was never willing to assume her sister might have died. Sex Crimes Unit THE CLOUSE CASE: 42 years later, a murdered Texas couple's missing baby has finally been found. In 1999 he was selected by the Homicide Division captain to serve as a supervisor in the Homicide Division. A photo of Beller is not available. As a master hostage negotiator, Billy also worked alongside the elite SWAT Team during many special threat situations. complainant is expected to survive along with all other non-family or non-sexual assault Cold Case Squad, which reviews old homicide cases for new leads or evidence; The Fort Worth Police Department Cold Case Unit exists as part of the main Homicide Unit. Detectives say the crime scene photos are possibly the most horrific they have viewed. On Wednesday (Jan. 14), Degan was arrested and subsequently charged for his role in the deaths of Yleen and Lillie Kennedy. In 1991, the city of Houston recorded 701 homicides, in addition to over 12,000 aggravated assaults. Houston Police say that were Elijah Sidney, Jr. alive today, he would be charged with murder in the death of Karin Price. With thousands of cases still active, Kleczynski said, the squad uses a variety of methods to flag cases for review. For emergencies dial 911. Dennis has a BS in Organizational Leadership and is a 2006 graduate of the FBI National Academy - Session #225. 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. The suspect, Edmond Beauregard Degan, 57, is charged with capital murder in the 208th State District Court. Dennis son Marcus is a Houston PD SWAT Operator, and his son-in-law Kevin, is a Houston police officer assigned to Houston PDs Bomb Squad. Cold Case Cracked: 31 Years Later, Murder Suspect Identified and Tracked Down. Why is that? "Based on the numbers of cases that haven't been solved, it may not seem like a good use of time. "So, it wasn't something that was necessarily focused on or even really discussed in public.". But police found few leads into who might have been responsible for her stabbing death. Working side-by-side with some of the legends in the Texas criminal justice community, Billy forged a mutual bond with prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys alike. Houston Chronicle. Prior to the cold case unit formed in 2006, which is staffed by two senior detectives, detectives were not specifically assigned to cold cases, Lt. Scott Spencer said. The squad has reviewed all cases from 2000 to 2003 for untested evidence and is now working backward and examining files from the 1990s and the 1980s, when DNA testing was not as widely used. He wanted to collect DNA and see if his Doe was Kennedys sister. Blake Kennedy and her daughter, Jenny Estes, recently learned that the remains of Blakes sister, Peggy Anne Dodd, who had disappeared in 1984 as a 28-year-old, had been found and identified. Minyard had joined the sheriffs office in 2014 after a career in the U.S. Navy and then stints at law enforcement agencies in Wyoming and Austin County. "I wish it'd happen more, but it doesn't," Peters said. And when cases go unsolved, murderers dont get caught. Sgt. Dennis promoted to the rank of Lieutenant working with both the Homicide Division and the Narcotics Division before taking over the Internal Affairs Divisions Proactive Unit for five years addressing public corruption and ongoing criminal activity by police officers. This account is NOT monitored 24/7. In 2009, the case was reviewed by the HPD Homicide Division's Cold Case Unit and evidence found at the scene was processed. In Houston, four to six cold case detectives must grapple with more than 560 cold cases, according to information obtained via a records request. Fort Bend had a backlog of about 75 cold cases. also respond to in-progress kidnappings. 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. Jorge Trevino Cardenas, 50, has been charged with murder in connection with the stabbing death of Domatila Alvarez, 38, police said. Homicide. It's sometimes like a scavenger hunt to get everything in order to get a case that can be prosecuted," said Mehl, who retired from the squad earlier this year. They also assist in performing tactical crime analysis and HPD Homicide Division Cold Case Unit Sergeant P. Motard reported: "I tell you they'll swear they're not guilty, even if you have a grocery bag full of evidence.". Weeks after the initial call, he had an answer. What can I do with hair?. 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. All calls will be kept confidential. The case never solved continues to take a back seat to more recent cases. Joe Buttitta has over 38 years of law enforcement experience. Cases go cold for many reasons, but the fact remains that once a case goes cold, hope diminishes. . He has reported for community newspapers across Texas, including the Galveston County Daily News, the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel and the Fort Bend Star. SEE ALSO: Case closed: 2 men charged with murder in 2019 deaths of couple. The Cold Case Unit The Michigan State Police First District Cold Case Unit. Additionally, the unit is involved in educating departmental employees and the community High-Level Justifications for Cold Case Units. It consists of one lieutenant, two sergeants, two officers, one civilian employee, and three retired officers. But the toll is clear: Families dont get closure. "My husband and my children, we always had the hope and the faith it would happen one day," said Torres, 67, who periodically visited police headquarters to ask about the case. The Working Group's report and its recommendations leave no doubt about the urgency of the United States' cold case problem, nor about . About 90 percent responded that they did not staff a cold case division, said Mindy Montford, a senior prosecutor in the unit. A photo of suspect Degan is attached to this news release. In 2001, she was promoted to detective. Updated: 10:26 PM CST November 17, 2017. the investigation of missing persons where criminal activity is suspected. Joe began his career with the Houston Police Department where, as a lieutenant, he served in several major units including the Vice Division, Homicide Division, Criminal Intelligence Division, and the Chiefs Command. How all this could have been solved with better communication between Fort Bend and Houston. View the Houston Police Department's featured cold cases here. A graduate of the University of Dallas, he joined the Chronicle in 2022. 550 West Jackson Street. No one claimed the body. (Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer), St. John Barned-Smith, Houston Chronicle / Staff, Hundreds of Texas bodies remain unidentified despite new tech that helps solve cases faster, theyve seen their success at clearing those crimes fall, A chance encounter spurred a Texas bill to help identify missing persons, but compliance is spotty. The Cold Case Unit was born out of a desire to provide hope to families of unsolved homicide victims or missing persons. Cold Case Unit at the Office of the Chief State's Attorney at 860-258-5800, or. Matt DeGrood is a general assignment and breaking news reporter for the Houston Chronicle. While working as a police officer, Billy fulfilled his strong passion for law by attending the Law Center at the University of Houston. Another $1.3 million in federal money will help. She skipped school. 2016. These squads "We never shelve a case," Lieutenant Melissa Countryman says. with the Houston Police Department's cold . A loud knock at her door startled Eulalia Torres. From 1998 to 2004, John served as the Houston Police Departments chief of staff overseeing operations within the Office of the Chief of Police. Photographed on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at in Damon and Richmond. Billy earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2002. have worked with Detective Sergeant Rothman to . Holly Marie holds a picture of herself as a baby with her late parents, Harold Dean Clouse and Tina Gail Linn. Trends Analytics. Later, he spoke with a woman he believed was Dodds sister, Blake Kennedy. Angel received her Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science degree from Midwestern State University. The victims must be Black men killed . The OAG does not maintain state-wide data pertaining to cold cases, a records officer wrote, in response to the Chronicles request. Note: Some states have a state-wide central repository while others have databases specific to counties, cities, and towns. Houston police reached out to ABC13's Courtney Fischer because of her Unsolved series, featuring stories of missing and murdered forgotten victims. Cold Cases Database. A DNA profile was developed and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Jan. 27, 2023. Debra Horn was eleven years old when she disappeared from her home in Allenstown on January 29, 1969. On March 5, 1984, Yleen and Lillie Kennedy were found deceased with gunshot wounds inside Yleen's home at 600 East 12th Street. The Homicide Division is responsible for the investigation of deaths that occur in the city of Houston. Due to advances in forensic testing, DNA that was previously not able to be processed was now tested and Beller was identified as the suspect in this case. Then in 2020, Fort Bend County Sheriffs Detective Scott Minyard began rummaging through the departments cold case backlog. HOUSTON - Cold case detectives are trying a relatively new DNA approach to the notorious Lovers Lane murders. But the money can only be used for specific cases. Homicide Cold Cases Repository by State. Fast forward to 2008. Houston Police Department homicide detectives Sgt. 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. 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