Random police/detective question

[thatpfunk]

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if you killed them. there's evidence. people have already answered your question.

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lets imagine that it occurs in a place where you have been occasionally, therefore hair, fibers, etc have an excuse for being there. the murder occurs with the victims weapon. the victim is a young, black low profile drug dealer with a small record- not exactly a high priority for most major cities' police departments.

[thatpfunk]

swede,
im just curious for a general time frame- 2 weeks, 6 months, 2 years?

[DiamondDave]

There is no statute of limitations on homicides.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
if you killed them. there's evidence. people have already answered your question.

[/ QUOTE ]
lets imagine that it occurs in a place where you have been occasionally, therefore hair, fibers, etc have an excuse for being there. the murder occurs with the victims weapon. the victim is a young, black low profile drug dealer with a small record- not exactly a high priority for most major cities' police departments.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not trying to nitpick but the list of parameters you keep coming back to to establish that there is no evidence is still flawed. Just because a small-time punk gets killed, you cannot say the police will not consider it a priority because they will want to see if they can tie the murder to a bigger fish...this is how it works.

That being said, I understand this is not what interests you but what my point is it may go inactive within days/weeks/years but it could become active again at the drop of a hat.

Given your new example of there is an excuse for trace evidence of you to be there you and you are eliminated as a suspect, you could be still re-considered a suspect at any time.

As an example of this, I have worked at least 2 non-murder cases that led to people who had been considered suspects in murder cases causing them to be re-examined by the original investigating department and then subsequently indicted/convicted for the original murder cases.

In the end, again, there are no absolutes here. The perpetrator may walk and never be touched again after only a few days if investigation or could be picked up 30 years later. There is no (and shouldn't be) any sigh of relief!

[ QUOTE ]
swede,
im just curious for a general time frame- 2 weeks, 6 months, 2 years?

[/ QUOTE ]

If I've accidentally ignored your question of a general time frame before going inactive, even in the absence of any substantial leads - there would be a minimum of at least a couple of months of active investigation - then periodic reviews for approx. another year and barring any new leads, then specialized reviews as possible based on resources

[MrMon]

It'll last as long as it takes to check your IP address and start asking questions.

You are not anonymous on the Internet.

[highlife]

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Does anyone know how long the police will investigate a murder that lacks evidence before deeming the case unsolved?

Hypothetical: A drug deal gone wrong, it leaves two or three of the memebers of the exchange dead. Let's assume small/medium time dealers so there is no previous investigation, etc. The police have no "clues". How long until they tell the family members, "sorry, but we are no longer going to be investigating this murder..."

Thanks.
(The reasoning behind this question is completely uninteresting so please don't get excited)

[/ QUOTE ]

they would never actually tell the family that. they just give up after all the leads and clues dry up and it goes into cold case status.

[David04]

[ QUOTE ]
It'll last as long as it takes to check your IP address and start asking questions.

You are not anonymous on the Internet.

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I doubt OP killed somebody and posted about it here. Although anything is possible, just seems pretty unlikely.

[thatpfunk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It'll last as long as it takes to check your IP address and start asking questions.

You are not anonymous on the Internet.

[/ QUOTE ]
I doubt OP killed somebody and posted about it here. Although anything is possible, just seems pretty unlikely.

[/ QUOTE ]

no, hes right, i totally got caught.

[rusellmj]

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Ok, well how long until inactive?

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I'm gonna speculate that when it comes to a homicide the case will be active until ALL leads are exhuasted. Even if it's just one detective tying up loose ends. Once the loose ends are tied up I'm sure there will be an official report stating so and the case will probably go into an inactive status. It will wait there until someone with an interest in the case periodically reviews the file, or new evidence is found. Such as another murder with similar circumstances.

I'm sure certain cases cry out more than others. I've heard about detevtives who've kept the photo of a child or the investigation file on their desk to remind them not to give up.

Police departments probably don't tell people they're going to stop looking. They probably tell them something along the lines of the leads being exhausted and they await new evidence/leads.

Now, with all the above being said, I'm sure the tenacity of the local PD has alot to do with it. I once had key information about a homicide but no one came to talk to me.
When I phoned the police dept. the following conversation took place.

Operator: XXXXXXX PD
Me: Yeah I have information about the homicide that took place at XXXXX yesterday. Can I speak with a detective?
OP: Wha? Who are you?
Me: My name is russellmj.
Op: And what is it that you want?
Me: I have information about a homicide. Should I speak with a detective?
Op: (Smartalicky) What information do you have?
Me: I'm pretty sure I can identify the getaway car in the newspaper story.
OP: (Pissed) Look, we're very busy, we don't have time for this.
Me: What should I do with my information?
OP: Give me your name and number.

So I gave her my name and number. No one contacts me.

When I saw one of the suspects a week later I called the police and told them he was involved in the killing. About 40 minutes later two uniforms show up, ask the guy for ID and leave. Dude splits immediately following cops. Couple weeks later a detective shows up and wants to know where he can find said suspect. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] He hasn't been seen since.