cold cases
Stalled murder inquiries
Cold cases are criminal investigations—usually homicides—that remain unsolved after an extended period and are no longer actively pursued.
Police departments may revisit cold cases when new evidence emerges or forensic technology advances: DNA testing has cracked several cold cases from the 1980s.
The metaphor contrasts with "hot" leads that are fresh and promising.
Genre covering actual offenses
- podcastEpisodic digital audio series
- documentaryFactual film about reality
- Unsolved MysteriesPuzzles lacking definitive explanations
- datelineReport's origin stamp
amateur sleuth · viral · coverage · public interest · tipsters · crowdsourcing · social media · investigative journalism
Causing another's death
- disappearanceAct of going missing
- abductionUnlawful seizure of person
- missing personsUnlocated individuals sought by authorities
- unidentifiedNot yet recognized
Jane Doe · John Doe · dormant · perpetrator · stalemate · unanswered · lingering · victims
Professional crime investigator
- reopeningBeginning operations again
- reviewCritical written assessment
- leadsGoes in front
- cluesHints toward answers
breakthrough · archives · witnesses · testimony · interviews · evidence · documentation · tipline
Hereditary code molecule
- fingerprintsRidge patterns identifying individuals
- autopsyMedical examination after death
- toxicologyScience of poisons
- ballisticsProjectile motion science
evidence · pathology · serology · forensic anthropology · blood spatter · trace evidence · samples · analysis
Found the answer to
- DNA matchIdentical hereditary sequences found
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- arrestSeize by law
- convictionFirmly held belief
exoneration · wrongful conviction · innocence project · genetic genealogy · familial DNA · identified · closure · justice
true crime
Genre covering actual offenses
- podcastEpisodic digital audio series
- documentaryFactual film about reality
- Unsolved MysteriesPuzzles lacking definitive explanations
dateline · amateur sleuth · viral · coverage · public interest · tipsters · crowdsourcing · social media · investigative journalism · exposure
homicide
Causing another's death
- disappearanceAct of going missing
- abductionUnlawful seizure of person
- missing personsUnlocated individuals sought by authorities
unidentified · Jane Doe · John Doe · dormant · perpetrator · stalemate · unanswered · lingering · victims · families
detective
Professional crime investigator
clues · breakthrough · archives · witnesses · testimony · interviews · evidence · documentation · tipline · recanvassing
DNA
Hereditary code molecule
- fingerprintsRidge patterns identifying individuals
- autopsyMedical examination after death
- toxicologyScience of poisons
ballistics · evidence · pathology · serology · forensic anthropology · blood spatter · trace evidence · samples · analysis · genetics
solved
Found the answer to
- DNA matchIdentical hereditary sequences found
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- arrestSeize by law
conviction · exoneration · wrongful conviction · innocence project · genetic genealogy · familial DNA · identified · closure · justice · breakthrough
- criminal investigationsinvestigations, crime scene, crime scenes, crime scene investigation, crime scene analysis
- policingpatrol, police powers, arrests, police officer, arrest
- true crimetrue crime, crime docs, unsolved mystery, murder mystery, homicide
- mysteriesmystery, enigma, enigmas, puzzle, riddle
- crime historyorganized crime, trial records, criminal records, Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde
- Crime Watchwanted posters, fugitives, missing persons, mugshots, tip lines