LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The holidays can be a happy time for many but for some, they can also be a reminder of something, or someone, that is no longer around. Especially when it comes to not having closure on how they disappeared.
Those unanswered questions exemplify exactly what a cold case is— it's a homicide or long-term missing persons case that hasn't had any investigative leads for three years, where law enforcement has nearly explored all of their options.
That's why a few years ago, Arkansas State Police launched a new cold case division to help provide answers to families whose cases have gone cold.
"Whether it's been two years, twenty years, or thirty years it doesn't matter. That pain and not knowing never leaves, it never leaves," said Major Stacie Rhoads with Arkansas State Police's criminal investigation division.
Major Rhoads explained that with every case that they have, her team works to build a relationship with the families. So when it comes to unsolved cases, every day is hard on a family that is in search of answers but the holiday season can make things even harder.
"I'll get a text on Christmas, no doubt from Rose Johnson, whose father, you know, Forest Edwards was murdered in Star City in 2004. There is no doubt that I'm gonna get a text from her. He has missed countless Christmases, and her gentle reminders to me, won't let me forget that his case is still unsolved," Rhoads described.
It's text messages like those that fuel an inspiring feeling for ASP to continue working to provide answers.
"We found that you know, reinitiating that conversation from the cold case investigator gives that family a little hope, and that's really what we need to keep generating that hope that the answer is out there and that we'll find it," Rhoads added.
Therapist Natasha Thorne explained how when it comes to cold cases, they can take a mental toll on all parties involved.
"For every number, for every statistic that there is, there's a story. There is a family that is hurting and grieving behind it," Thorne said.
She said the absence of a loved one can bring up a number of emotions for people who are experiencing loss.
"What we see a lot of times is something called ambiguous loss, right? Where it just means that the loved one, the survivors, for whatever reason feel like they can't grieve the loss. There's something that is preventing that closure, preventing the natural progression of the grief process," Thorne added.
This division has been continuously working to bring hope to grieving families, and it's only the beginning.
"There's local support groups, you know, so you don't feel like you're going through this alone. Even online support groups can sometimes be a very big help to just not feel so alone in it," Thorne said.
So far, ASP has already closed 40 cases. If you would like your case looked at or evaluated, please click here.