Cold Case Homicides by Rachel H Walton

Cold Case Homicides by Rachel H Walton

The Third Edition of Cold Case Homicides remains a vital resource for students and professionals alike, offering a comprehensive guide to the investigation and resolution of unsolved cases. Updated with the latest advancements, this edition emphasizes the evolving landscape of cold case work, including cutting-edge forensic tools, the expanding role of digital and mobile evidence, and the transformative impact of DNA technologies, especially forensic genealogy and familial matching. Readers will gain insight into the most recent techniques for leveraging public records, social media, and data analysis in cold case reviews. Richly illustrated and grounded in practical application, the text underscores how emerging technologies and a reassessment of earlier missteps can breathe new life into dormant investigations. Whether used in academic settings or by active investigators, this edition demonstrates how today’s tools and methodologies can bridge gaps left by past limitations, bringing justice and closure to long-unsolved crimes.

Rachel H. Walton: Dr. Rachel Walton brings over 35 years of California law enforcement experience and 15 years of college-level instruction, with expertise in homicide, cold cases, arson, and fraud. She led a landmark 13-year reinvestigation of a 1920s homicide that resulted in a posthumous pardon for a wrongfully convicted man. A sought-after speaker, she has presented to the FBI Academy, RCMP, NCIS, AAFS, and others. Dr. Walton earned her Ed.D. from the University of San Francisco with the first academic research on solvability factors in cold case homicides, and is the author of Cold Case Homicide: Practical Investigative Techniques.

Frank P. Tona: Frank P. Tona is a Lieutenant with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland, one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the U.S., where he has served since 2002. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from SUNY Brockport and an M.P.A. from Norwich University. Lt. Tona is a Board Member of the Mid-Atlantic Cold Case Homicide Investigator’s Association, a Fellow at the Future Policing Institute, and a member of the Vidocq Society and International Homicide Investigators Association. He also serves as an adjunct instructor at Norwich University, John Jay College, Franciscan University, and the University of Maryland Global Campus.