“Who is Where?” Cold Case Investigation and Collaborations Between Law Enforcement and Academia

• Published date: 01 November 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/10887679221137583
• Author: Karen Holt,Allison Rojek,Makayla Mason,Larry Rothman
• Date: 01 November 2023
• Subject Matter: Special Issue Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/10887679221137583

Homicide Studies

2023, Vol. 27(4) 493 –505

© 2022 SAGE Publications

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/10887679221137583

journals.sagepub.com/home/hsx

Special Issue Article

“Who is Where?” Cold

Case Investigation and

Collaborations Between Law

Enforcement and Academia

Karen Holt1, Allison Rojek1, Makayla Mason1,

and Larry Rothman2

Abstract

Innovative strategies can be utilized to investigate unsolved homicides, particularly

through translational criminology. We present a case study of a collaboration

developed between faculty and students in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan

State University and Michigan State Police’s First District in Lansing, Michigan. We

highlight the benefits of including academics and students in these investigations and

explore and critique the methodology we utilized to review a 41-year-old cold case

homicide. We argue that these teams are a valuable resource with implications for

the criminal justice system, the legitimacy of law enforcement, and the victims and

their families.

Keywords

cold case homicide, translational criminology, multidisciplinary approach, investigation,

policing, inactive homicides

Introduction

Translational criminology refers to the interface between scientific discoveries

through empirical research and policy and practice (National Institute of Justice/

1Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA

2Michigan State Police, Lansing, USA

Corresponding Author:

Karen Holt, Michigan State University, School of Criminal Justice, 655 Auditorium Road, East Lansing, MI

48824, USA.

Email: holtkar1@msu.edu

Correction (June 2023): Article updated online to correct “(cite)” to “(Davis et al., 2014)” in the

Discussion section. Reference “Davis, R. C., Jensen III, C. J., Burgette, L., & Burnett, K. (2014). Working

smarter on cold cases: Identifying factors associated with successful cold case investigations. Journal of

Forensic Sciences, 59(2), 375–382.” has also been added in the References section.

1137583HSXXXX10.1177/10887679221137583Homicide StudiesHolt et al.

research-article2022