CLEVELAND — Northeast Ohio now has new help and new eyes on old cases where leads have led nowhere.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation has a new unit focusing on cold cases involving homicides and sex crimes. Currently, the unit is involved in 146 cases statewide, 15 in Northeast Ohio and three in Cleveland.
“We still don’t know anything more today than we did on January 11, 2014,” said Tanesha Moss.
Moss’ brother, Stephen Halton, worked for the Cleveland Clinic. He was called into work early that morning; he was shot and killed while waiting for a bus to take him to work.
“I can take myself right to the moment of when detectives came to the door and notified us of his passing. It’s forever etched in my heart and my memory,” said Moss. Police believe Halton was the victim of a random act of violence.
Halton is one of the three Cleveland cases getting a second look by the new BCI Cold Case Unit. The murder of Aliza Sherman in 2013 and Ryan Dixon in 2016 are the other two Cleveland cases. BCI officials believe they have the workforce and technology needed to help police departments crack cold cases.
“There’s two main spectrums when looking at cold cases. Its data-driven set with investigations and criminal intelligence, then there’s the new technology and advancements from the laboratory and investigation side,” explained Roger Davis, Special Agent Supervisor BCI Cold Case Unit. Those advancements include DNA technology, familial DNA and investigative genealogy. So far, the unit has had success.
“Arrests have come,” said Davis.
Anyone with information about a cold case can reach BCI at 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446) or leave a tip anonymously through their website here.
Tips on local murders can also be sent to Crime Stoppers at (216) 252-7463 or www.25crime.com
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