State attorney general proposing statewide cold case unit

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state attorney general is asking legislators for nearly $2 million dollars to create a new cold case unit. That money would be used to solve murders and sexual assault cases and add to the work already being done.

In the video above, it shows the faces of some of the 1,600 people murdered in this state whose killers have eluded justice for years.

“You have family members of victims who have been murdered,” said John Hill, chief of the Criminal Justice Division of the state attorney general’s office. “You have survivors of sexual assault. Their cases have never been either solved or never prosecuted.”

Hillman, a former Pierce County prosecutor, says these victims are the impetus for a proposal to create a new statewide tool.

“What’s brand-new about the proposal would be a cold case unit housed in the attorney general’s office,” said Hillman, “whose sole function would be to provide investigative assistance to Washington law enforcement agencies for cold sexual assault and homicide cases.”

There have been other high-profile efforts to solve cold cases of murder. Back in 2012, Seattle police put up billboards across the city appealing to the public for help bringing the killers to justice.

Then two months ago, King County Sheriff Mitzi Johancknecht announced, “Few things in law enforcement are more rewarding than informing a parent that you believe you have solved the murder of their child.”

In October, that parent was the mother of Sarah Yarborough.

“I have to say that the detectives have never given up,” said Laurie Yarborough, her mother. “And they’ve been extremely dogged.”

That’s what the attorney general wants to give law enforcement across the state.

“You need boots on the ground,” said Hillman. “You need eyes on these cold cases in order to take the next step and actually solve that crime and make an arrest and have a case that’s ready for prosecution.”

And that, he says, costs money. And that money will have to come from the Legislature.

As for Sarah Yarborough’s murder, her alleged killer has not yet gone to trial.

KIRO 7′s previous coverage on cold cases

Why isn’t Washington using DNA tool to solve crimes?

Arrest made in 27-year-old murder of Federal Way teen Sarah Yarborough

Lawmakers pledge to fix criminal DNA problem after KIRO 7 investigation

Arrest made in 1998 murder of 28-year-old Nguyet ‘Anna’ Nguyen

Two suspects arrested on murder charges from 1995 cold case

Truth from the grave: SPD and genealogy solve Seattle Center cold case murder from 1967

Arrest made in 1987 Snohomish County cold case

Guilty verdict in 1989 cold-case murder trial