FOR DECADES, Monterey County has been haunted by more than 600 unsolved homicides — each one a silent wound for families still waiting for answers, and a stark reminder of how easily justice can slip away.
Now, amid the loss of public funding and growing concern over stalled investigations, a group of local law enforcement veterans and advocates is stepping in to try to finish the work that governments could not.
The Cold Case Project of Monterey County, a newly launched nonprofit, is aiming to revive cold case investigations across the area by raising private donations to fund the work — work that once depended on now-exhausted federal grants.
“Behind every cold case is a human story — a family, a community, a victim whose life mattered,” Ann Kern, the organization’s board president, said in a statement. “We can’t let funding gaps determine whether a case is solved. Every life deserves justice, and that’s why we’re here.”
Kern noted that since 2020, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Cold Case Task Force has solved 19 cases and identified 10 sets of human remains. Those breakthroughs were made possible largely through federal support, but that funding has since lapsed.
Today, no dedicated public funds reportedly remain to continue the effort.
In response, a group of retired law enforcement officials and community members formed the Cold Case Project nonprofit, which is now working to raise money through a special fund established with the Community Foundation for Monterey County. The goal is to keep cold case investigations moving forward — regardless of public budget cycles.
“When we solve a cold case, we don’t just find answers that have been too long in coming; we restore hope,” Michael Bruno, Assistant Chief for the Monterey Police Department and a board member of the Cold Case Project, said in a statement released by the nonprofit. “We need the community’s help to keep this vital work going.”
Using technology to ease minds
The Cold Case Project’s mission extends beyond homicides. It also includes long-term missing persons, unsolved sexual assaults, and unidentified human remains cases — each one representing not just a file in storage, but a person whose story remains unfinished.
Advances in forensic science, particularly DNA analysis and investigative genetic genealogy, have revolutionized the way cold cases are approached. But those tools come at a cost — one that many local agencies can’t afford without outside help.
“Science can help solve these cases,” the nonprofit said. “Advances in DNA technology and forensic analysis have revolutionized cold case investigations, but the cost to access testing can be prohibitive.”
The effort goes beyond just using advanced technology or seeking justice in a limited way. Solving a cold case has far-reaching impacts — it brings peace to families in mourning, helps protect at-risk communities, and reinforces trust and responsibility within the justice system.
“Behind every unsolved murder or long-term missing person case is a family in pain, desperately seeking answers,” the statement from Cold Case Project read. “Solving these cases brings justice for those who can no longer speak for themselves and provides a vital step toward healing and closure for the family and the community.”
Solving cases often leads to convictions
In 2011, research institute RAND Corporation released a report, “Cold Case Investigations: An Analysis of Current Practices and Factors Associated with Successful Outcomes”. According to the think tank, the study included examination of practices across U.S. Law enforcement agencies.
It found that when cold cases — especially those involving DNA — are reexamined, solving them often leads to arrests and convictions, frequently revealing links to other unsolved crimes. The report states that “in sexual assault cold cases, even when a suspect DNA match has been made … cases that are prosecuted resulted in convictions and lengthy prison terms more than 90 percent of the time. …”
“Solving these cases brings justice for those who can no longer speak for themselves and provides a vital step toward healing and closure for the family and the community.” Cold Case Project of Monterey County
According to a 2019 report from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, ongoing analysis of cold-case evidence — including DNA comparisons — is essential because a lot of offenders often continue committing crimes after their initial offense.
“Solving cold cases makes our community safer by preventing future crimes,” the Cold Case Project said. “Holding perpetrators accountable sends a clear message to potential offenders that justice will be served. With repeat offenders identified, they are prevented from committing further crimes.”
Bill Clark, a retired Assistant Chief of the Monterey Police Department and now a member of the Cold Case Project’s Board of Directors, said the importance of the work goes far beyond the past.
“We may never know how many more lives can be saved by solving a single case,” he said. “This work isn’t about the past — it’s about protecting the future.”