The safety of the community and the sanctity of human life also require that justice be served. A homicide case is considered closed when a suspect has been identified, charged, and arrested. In the case files of the Homicide Unit 127 cases are still waiting for closure.

These cold cases, some dating back to the 1960's, lack the critical information or evidence needed to identify or charge a suspect. In an additional 35 cases, a suspect has been identified and charged, but not located for arrest. Declining rates of violent crime in Austin have lowered the Homicide Unit's caseload, providing an opportunity to reassign personnel to cold cases. The Cold Case Homicide Unit is assigned five detectives and a sergeant to work full time on cold cases. Now is an opportune time to re-examine cold cases for several reasons:

• Advances in forensic analysis of evidence, such as DNA, may yield new clues or establish links to suspects that were not possible in the past.
• Over time, alliances between suspects and witnesses may have diminished, removing the reluctance of those with knowledge of the crime to cooperate with investigators.
• The killers themselves may have lowered their guard over time, leading them to confide information to others or come out of hiding.

If you have information pertaining to any of these cases, please contact the APD Homicide Unit's Tip Line at (512) 477-3588, or by e-mail at Homicide@austintexas.gov.