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Cold Case Analysis

Findings computed from the dated timelines of the cases in this index. Each report states its rules and its limits, links every case it counts, and is recomputed whenever the data changes. Cite the page and the date shown on it.

How long do cold cases take to solve?
Years from the crime to the break for 319 resolved cases, by decade, method and type. 58% were broken within a year; the cases that went cold waited a median of 11 years.
How cold cases get solved
What broke each of the 319 resolved cases: genetic genealogy (25), DNA matches, confessions, witnesses and tips, with the cases behind each method.

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Case mapUS homicide clearance statisticsCases by themeDownload the dataset (JSON)
ColdCaseIndex

A searchable database of documented cold cases and historic crimes, compiled from public records and cited reporting.

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Murder Accountability Project NamUs The Charley Project

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