So What's Left?

So What's Left?

We often think of the term Cold Case though it may not apply to the JonBenet Ramsey investigation. I do not wish to split an already fine hair but sometimes I wonder if a case can ever be referred to as cold if there was no initial investigation but instead only a police orchestrated media campaign took place.

Many cold cases are solved by advances in technology. We already have a dna sample. Of what use would be further dna testing? Touch DNA analysis of JonBenet's clothing provided confirmatory evidence of what was already abundantly obvious. That is all well and good. Should there be Touch DNA analysis of the kitchen counter top? Its a bit late for that now. The actions of the BPD in cleaning that counter top that morning can not now be undone. What about Touch DNA analysis of the bedsheets? It is unlikely the intruder was bare handed and unlikely he touched the bed sheet. However, forensic testing of the bed sheet has now rendered any collection of dna samples impossible.

Many cold cases are solved due to altered personal relationships between suspects and their alibi witnesses. Of course if the intruder into the Ramsey home acted alone and unaided it will be hard for the investigators to benefit from any altered personal relationships. I believe that many pedophiles lack the social skills to have friends but many investigators on the case consider pedophiles to have sufficient social skills to establish and maintain friendships.

Some cold cases are solved simply by the review process itself. Something laying in some hitherto unexplored nook or cranny is found during the review process. This would make a review desirable but its hard to place one's hope on some ill defined glitch in the original filing process. Its hard to plow through hundreds of boxes hoping to find something that has been misfiled or misinterpreted.

So what's left?