Attorney General Ashley Moody announces launch of new statewide Cold Case Investigations Unit

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody made an announcement Thursday morning regarding unsolved cases.

The attorney general said they are launching Florida’s Cold Case Investigations Unit with experienced prosecutors and investigators, working both cold cases and murder cases that cross jurisdictions and even states.

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These additional resources can get dangerous criminals off the streets and get families answers, closure, and justice.

The new unit is already working as they investigated and prosecuted a 2010 murder of a 16-year-old boy from Alachua County. During an attempted burglary, a man fatally shot the teen four times. In September 2021, a shirt collected near the crime scene led officials to a suspect thanks to DNA matching.

Moody said unresolved homicides are on the rise nationwide. In 2022, only 37% of violent crimes were solved.

“There are hundreds of thousands of unsolved murders in the U.S. and that number is growing every year,” Moody said. “Florida law enforcement does a great job fighting crime, but when a challenging case goes cold it can be difficult to find the resources to revive the investigation. Our Cold Case Investigations Unit will serve as a resource to law enforcement agencies statewide to help give select unsolved cases new life.”

Florida is ranked 6th in the nation for homicide cold cases, behind California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Michigan. Project Cold Case said since 1965, Florida has had more than 20,000 open homicide cold cases.

She also said 70% of agencies across the nation are having trouble recruiting qualified candidates for law enforcement personnel.

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Moody was joined by the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children Executive Director Callahan Walsh, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, and Office of Statewide Prosecution members.

Sheriff Bradshaw said the DNA they collect and evidence that can be analyzed is important, as two recent cases were solved with DNA.

During the conference, Walsh said he hopes this new unit will provide families with new hope.

In 2021, Moody launched Be A Florida Hero, a nationwide initiative to spread the word of the benefits of becoming a Florida law enforcement officer.

Cold cases are one of the most difficult cases to solve, as officials often experience witness issues, problems tracking down evidence, and difficulty matching witnesses with evidence that can span years.

Anyone with information on any unsolved homicide cases can call **TIPS with Crime Stoppers.

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