A relatively new collaboration between the Illinois State Police Investigation Zone 6 Command Staff and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is taking new looks at old homicide cold cases. Professor Trish Oberweis (OH-bur-WICE), professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Criminal Justice Studies, says there have been a handful of minor successes.

She says students scour the data and prioritize investigations based on which cases are closest to an arrest. They then analyze the case with regard to what additional investigative work might help advance the case, based on the training they received before being assigned a case. They also make recommendations, which become a part of the quickstart guide called a ‘Murder Book.’