The Virginia Cold Case Database searches for leads on unsolved homicides and lacking individuals circumstances

CULPEPER STAR EXPONENT

The Virginia State Police launched coldcase.vsp.virginia.gov/ last summer to reignite interest and hopefully generate new leads on unsolved homicides, unidentified persons and missing persons.

The database contains information, photos and contact information for cases that have remained unsolved for at least five years, according to a Friday release, which highlighted Sept. 25 as the national day of remembrance for murder victims.

State law requires VSP to host the website for the participation of local and state law enforcement agencies in Virginia.

Del. Danica Roem sponsored legislation that went into effect in 2020 to create the searchable website, which currently includes 44 unsolved homicides, nine missing persons and seven unidentified persons with 12 reporting agencies, including the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office and Fredericksburg PD.

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The State Police have trained 19 local police and sheriff’s offices across the Commonwealth and granted access to upload cases to the site.

“There really is no such thing as a ‘cold’ case,” Virginia State Police Superintendent Colonel Gary T. Settle said in a statement.

“That moniker is misleading because no matter how many years have passed since a murder, missing person investigation, or unknown person case has gone unsolved, it never really goes ‘cold.’

“Virginia’s law enforcement agencies are continuing unresolved investigations pending justice for the victim and the victim’s family. Unfortunately, some cases just take longer than others to reach the ultimate goal of arrest and closure,” Settle said.

Del. Roem, D-Manassas, implored the public to look at the cold case database at least once to see if they spot any of the cases.

“This website brings global reach to every unsolved case and we hope it will generate new tips and quality leads for Virginia law enforcement,” said Settle.

A look at the database didn’t list any of the half-dozen homicides in Culpeper County. A Facebook page created in 2019, Culpeper Unsolved Murders, lists the names of those killed in unsolved crimes in Culpeper. They are: Alicia Showalter Reynolds, Jody Pullen, Sherrie Warner, Ann McDaniel, Thelma Scroggins and Roger Davis.

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