Michigan State Police Launch New Cold Case Website

Michigan State Police are hoping a new website could help bring some long-unsolved cases back into the spotlight and give many families some answers.

MSP has launched a new cold case website that lets people look through unsolved cases around Michigan and send in tips to investigators.

Michigan State Police Put Cold Cases Online

Right now, 11 cases are posted statewide, including two from the First District, which covers the Lansing area. Police say more cases will be added.

The First District Cold Case Unit has been around since 2020 and has helped solve several cases dating back decades.

How One Tip Could Restart an Investigation

Detective Sergeant Larry Rothman says the idea behind the website is simple. Someone may recognize a name, remember something they heard years ago, or notice a detail that brings back a memory.

The tip could be enough to give investigators a new direction.

The First District Cold Case Unit has been around since 2020 and has already helped solve several cold cases dating back decades.

Detective Sergeant Larry Rothman says the idea behind the website is pretty easy to understand. You may recognize a name, remember something you heard years ago, or notice a detail that brings back a memory.

How to View Michigan Cold Cases and Submit a Tip

The website breaks the cases down by MSP district and includes information about each investigation, along with a way to contact police if you know something.

MSU Students Are Helping Review Decades-Old Cases

MSP is also getting some extra help from college students. In the Lansing area, Michigan State University students have worked with the cold case unit to review older murders and look at them from a fresh perspective.

Some of the cases date back to the 1970s and 1980s.

Michigan State Police reportedly have around 200 open cold cases at any given time, so the 11 currently online represent only a small portion of what is still being worked on.

The launch also comes during National Cold Case Month, which is meant to bring more attention to unsolved murders and missing-person cases.

Michigan's Cold Case Deck of Cards: Dealing Unsolved Crimes

Crime Stoppers of Flint and Genesee County has put Michigan's cold cases on a deck of playing cards and distributed them in jails and prisons across the state, as well as into communities. The hope is that these long unsolved cases will find answers. This series will reveal one or two cards a week until the entire deck is available.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Source: Michigan State Police Launch New Website to Help Solve Cold Cases

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