Arizona attorney general launches new unit to investigate unsolved murders
Last week, the office of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, pictured here in November 2024 in Philadelphia, announced the creation of a Cold Case Homicide Unit. (Photo by Matt Slocum/The Associated Press)
Last week, the Arizona attorney general’s office announced the creation of a Cold Case Homicide Unit, which will partner with local law enforcement agencies to reexamine unsolved cases dating back to 1992.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Jan. 9 the new unit aims to offer resources that may not be available at the local level, including advanced investigative techniques and technology.
“This unit reflects my commitment to ensuring that justice is not forgotten or abandoned, no matter how much time has passed,” Mayes said in a news release.
According to Courthouse News Service, Mayes said during a related press conference the unit will use reallocated resources from within the attorney general’s office, rather than seek new funding. It will accept case referrals but prioritize aiding rural agencies.
The unit will start by focusing on five cases, including the murder of 15-year-old Melody Harrison. In August 1992, police in Apache Junction, Arizona, found the body of a young woman in the desert but weren’t able to identify the victim as Harrison until more than three decades later. She had been reported missing in June 1992.
“This is about more than solving crimes—it’s about providing justice for the victims and their families,” Mayes said in the news release. “Every cold case represents a life that mattered and a story that deserves to be told.”
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