Cold case Coverage

13-year-old Fayetteville murder case closed as former Fort Bragg soldier charged

Joshua Aaron Richardson was charged with the murder of Terrance Plummer from 2010.

Fayetteville police announce former Fort Bragg soldier charged in 2010 murder

A homicide case that Fayetteville investigators had looked into for more than a decade reached some closure on Monday.

Gilbert Baez, WRAL Fayetteville reporter

Wake DA: Wait times to test rape kits 'unacceptable;' suspect in 1990 rape arrested Saturday

The fact that it took 30 years to arrest someone for the rape of a 73-year-old woman is another example, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman says, that test delays for rape kits are "unacceptable."

Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter

Man charged with rape, kidnapping in 1990 cold case

Deandre Marcel Smith, 51, was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual offense and kidnapping.

Raleigh police make arrest in 1990 rape

Deandre Marcel Smith, 51, was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual offense and kidnapping.

Durham solving decades-old cold cases with new DNA testing

A grant funds testing for sex assault kits long kept on file, leading to new arrests in old cases.

Grant allows Durham Police to solve decades-old cold cases

The Durham Police Department has formed a cold case unit funded by a 3-year grant from the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) that allows them to work through the backlog of untested evidence.

Monica Casey, WRAL Durham reporter

Car pulled from Lake Norman belonged to woman missing for 15 years, had human remains inside, deputies say

The Catawba County Sheriff's Office said the Ford Thunderbird recovered Wednesday belonged to Tina Martin. She's been missing since 2008.

WCNC

Suspect identified in 1987 cold case murder of Lexington woman

The family of Mary Mathis Davis of Lexington is finally getting closure and answers after she was murdered 36 years ago.

WXII

NC podcast seeks justice for indigenous women and girls

In Episode 20 of What Remains, the hosts of 'The Red Justice Project' podcast share the details of some of the most horrendous cases they've covered

Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporter

Durham officers make arrest in nearly 30-year-old sexual assault case

Dwight Martin, 64, of Durham, is charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sex offense.

Philanthropist helps law enforcement test DNA in cold cases

DNA testing is very expensive and small law enforcement agencies don't have the resources for this. But in recent years laboratories that test DNA in cold cases are turning to crowdfunding with great success to get the cost covered.

Money from the crowd pays for DNA tests on cold case remains

There's an entire online community dedicated to helping solve these cases.

Crowdfunding supports cold case DNA analysis

Episode 19 of the What Remains podcast is about Carla Davis and her generous gifts of time and money to solving cold cases. It's a cause that is personal to her. In the episode she talks about the murder case that originally sparked her interest in funding DNA analysis.

Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporter

'What Remains' podcast episode 18: 'Finding Brittanee'

When a 17-year-old girl from New York goes missing in Myrtle Beach during spring break, at first it appears to be no big deal. Very soon, the entire country is invested in the search for Brittanee Drexel.

Two cold cases solved in Chatham County after 40 years

DNA technology was able to solve cases were 43 and 46 years old, the oldest cases to be solved with forensic genealogy in North Carolina to date.

Nonprofit puts new eyes on cold cases

In this episode of the What Remains podcast: how new eyes and new DNA technology are solving even the oldest cold cases. And Alec's niece walks us through their decades-old search for answers that finally paid off.

Indiana Man Is Charged in 2017 Killings of Two Girls

An Indiana man has been charged with murder in the deaths of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana, more than five years after their bodies were found near an abandoned rail bridge, authorities announced Monday.

Christine Hauser and Derrick Bryson Taylor, New York Times

Police identify suspect 5 years after two teen girls killed in Indiana

Authorities in Indiana may now have a suspect connected to a cold case. 13-year-old Abby Williams and 14-year-old Libby German's disappearance, then the discovery of their bodies, captivated the nation. Now, more than five years later, Indiana State Police say a "coward" murdered the two girls.

Durham cold case: Police announce key clue, hoping community will bring answers

A Durham murder case from 2020 has gone cold. However, investigators have a key clue to share with the public - in hopes people in the community can help heat up the trail.

Can you help solve a cold case? Durham police share key clue with community

A Durham murder case from 2020 has gone cold. However, investigators have a key clue to share with the public - in hopes people in the community can help heat up the trail.

Sarah Krueger, WRAL Durham reporter

What's in the water? Clues to cold cases

Isotope analysis can show where someone has spent time, narrowing a identity for otherwise unknown crime victims.

Forensic genealogy solves Aussie man's identity after 75 years

A man was found dead on Somerton Beach in South Australia in 1948. The case stumped so many people for 75 years until a college professor and a genealogist in California got together and unraveled it.

Serial rapist sentenced between 23-28 years in prison

Johnnie B. Green reached a plea deal last week. He is due to spend between 23-28 years in prison.

Victim says convicted rapist broke in, raped her while she was on the phone with her mother: NC man sentenced to 23-28 years in prison

Johnnie B. Green reached a plea deal last week. He is due to spend up to 28 years in prison.

Gilbert Baez, WRAL Fayetteville reporter