Detroit police and Wayne State University partner on cold case investigation program
The Detroit Police Department (DPD) and Wayne State University are partnering on a cold case investigation program.
According to the Detroit Police Media Relations Department, the program aims to bring justice to victims' families by leveraging the perspectives of criminal justice students and new technology.
DPD says the program, which starts in January 2027, is an expansion of Wayne State's current class offerings and bolsters the school's criminal justice programming.
Detroit Police Chief Todd A. Bettison said:
"Getting justice for our homicide victims is a top priority of mine, and I am focused on providing additional investigators, resources, and any new and available techniques, like the talented minds of our students, to help solve cases. This is an exciting partnership that could give families closure and will introduce the next generation of potential law enforcement professionals to real-life investigations that still need to be solved."
According to the Criminology and Criminal Justice department at Wayne State University, two cases have been identified for the students to review.
The first unsolved case is that of Casey Willis, a Wayne State University student, who was shot and killed on December 26, 2020, on Detroit's east side.
The second unsolved case is that of Paige Stalker, a 16-year-old girl from Grosse Pointe Farms, who was shot and killed on December 22, 2014, on Detroit's east side.
"What we hope to do, in our own small way, is help give the families of victims some of the answers they so desperately seek," said Dr. Toycia Collins, Wayne State assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice. "The reality is that when families wait weeks, months or even years for answers, it can be difficult for them to even begin the grieving process."
