DeWine announces plan to focus attention on Ohio's unsolved homicides
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today a new plan to focus more attention on Ohio Unsolved Homicides.
The effort includes listing every Ohio cold case homicide on the Attorney General's website and offering Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) expert services.
"This is ultimately an effort to help law enforcement and victims," said Attorney General DeWine.
"Currently, the oldest cold case homicide on the Attorney General's website dates back to 1964. We hope to bring closure and justice to as many cases as possible so that victims and their families can have justice."
The Ohio Attorney General's Ohio Unsolved Homicides webpage includes 166 cases today. And while listing a cold case is voluntary for law enforcement departments, the hope is that more departments will do this.
According to FBI statistics, Ohio has 5,153 unsolved homicide cases.
Two of those murder mysteries are in Mercer County, where Attorney General DeWine joined Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey in making today's announcement.
Robert Grube, age 70, and his 47-year-old daughter Colleen Grube were discovered dead in their Fort Recovery home on November 30, 2011. Both had been bound with duct tape and shot.
"This, by far, is the worst homicide case I've seen in my 32 year law enforcement career," said Sheriff Grey. "The Grube murders were brutal. I applaud the Attorney General's effort to help draw more attention to not only this case, but also to other unsolved homicides around Ohio."
Sheriff Grey also announced today reward money in the Grube case is being raised from the current $10,000 to $20,000.
Ohio law enforcement agencies can tap BCI experts to help with their unsolved homicide cases in the following ways:
• SIU: Special Investigations Unit can review cases, assist with interviews, and provide follow-up support.
• CSU: Crime Scene Unit can identify evidence for submission to lab.
• Crime Laboratory can analyze evidence that has been properly preserved.
• CIU: Criminal Intelligence Unit can digitize and preserve case files.
• Cyber Crimes Unit can examine electronic devices like phones.
In addition, the Attorney General's Office will feature one Ohio Unsolved Homicide case each month, hoping to draw more public attention.
That attention could prompt someone to come forward with information that can be steered to the BCI tip line: 855-BCI-OHIO. Currently BCI already receives daily tips about Ohio Unsolved Homicides and forwards those tips to the original investigating agency.
In order to help educate the law enforcement community about this entire effort, BCI is planning Ohio Unsolved Homicides Symposiums across the state beginning in 2013.
For more information on the Ohio Attorney General's Ohio Unsolved Homicides, go to www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/OhioUnsolvedHomicides.
Law enforcement agencies that would like to be included in the BCI statewide database and featured on the Attorney General's website can call BCI at 855-BCI-OHIO or email OhioUnsolvedHomicides@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.
Ohio law enforcement agencies can tap BCI experts to help with their unsolved homicide cases in the following ways:
• SIU: Special Investigations Unit can review cases, assist with interviews, and provide follow-up support.
• CSU: Crime Scene Unit can identify evidence for submission to lab.
• Crime Laboratory can analyze evidence that has been properly preserved.
• CIU: Criminal Intelligence Unit can digitize and preserve case files.
• Cyber Crimes Unit can examine electronic devices like phones.
In addition, the Attorney General's Office will feature one Ohio Unsolved Homicide case each month, hoping to draw more public attention.
That attention could prompt someone to come forward with information that can be steered to the BCI tip line: 855-BCI-OHIO. Currently BCI already receives daily tips about Ohio Unsolved Homicides and forwards those tips to the original investigating agency.
In order to help educate the law enforcement community about this entire effort, BCI is planning Ohio Unsolved Homicides Symposiums across the state beginning in 2013.
For more information on the Ohio Attorney General's Ohio Unsolved Homicides, go to www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/OhioUnsolvedHomicides.
Law enforcement agencies that would like to be included in the BCI statewide database and featured on the Attorney General's website can call BCI at 855-BCI-OHIO or email OhioUnsolvedHomicides@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.