Abilene Cold Case Cracked

For the avid TV watcher, you may know of the TV show "Cold Case," I'm not hooked on it, only because I work during the prime time watching hours, and I don't have DVR (gasp!).

While the show is entertaining, in reality, cracking a "cold case" isn't all that easy. The suspect doesn't come forward, often times the small details aren't that easily recalled, and they definitely are not solved within 45 minutes. Just generalizing.

Still, the grim reality is that cases... difficult cases... emotionally draining cases, can take years and still may never be solved.

But don't tell that to the detectives who refuse to give up. I've worked with a few on some cases, the Jennifer Servo mystery comes to mind, where the detective knows exactly where that case file is, at the mere mention of the case. Last time, I asked, he said he still gets tips every now and then, and he still believes that one can be...and will be solved.

I may not be a police detective (although I've been asked that at many crime scenes... I guess a man dressed up at a crime scene suggests detective or reporter...) I can only guess at the frustration and elation that comes with every twist, turn, and new lead that pops up on these kinds of cases.

Why am I writing all of this?

To thank the detectives who labored away for six years to finally, name a suspect in a sexual assault case from 2004. A case that was passed from detective to detective, and hour after hour leads were investigated.

Now, a lead has identified a suspect using DNA, that was a match to the evidence from six years ago... leading to an indictment of Bruno Carrillo last Thursday.

Relief comes to the detective in charge of it, and relief is finally coming to the victim who has been carrying the emotions for so long.