Cold Case Program News | Cold Case Program with Michigan State Police

Cold Case Program with Michigan State Police

Sanders cold case — WMU cold case team helps search for remains of woman missing nearly 50 years

Read about the case

NBC Today Show

Watch the NBC Today Show Video

Screenshot of 48 Hours Roxanne Woods special

The "Unsolvable" case of Roxanne Wood

Watch the 48 hour coverage

Screenshot of ABC12 Cold Case Program Segment

WMU students helping MSP detectives on cold case murder of Anne Paetz

Watch the ABC12 coverage

Michiana cold cases reopened after more than 40 years

Watch the WSBT segment

Two individuals looking at CPR dummy for cold case hands-on experience

WMU cold case program gives students hands-on experience

Read the MLive article

Screenshot of missing St. Joseph County woman

Search continues for missing St. Joseph County woman, 5 years after disappearance

Read the News Channel 3 Article

FBI Joins Search For Missing Women

Read the WSBT 22 Article

News Archive

2025

Terrence Reynald "Terry" Wood Obituary (Legacy | Feb 7^th, 2025)
https://www.woodtv.com/news/kalamazoo-county/police-students-with-wmu-cold-case-program-helped-crack-1989-cold-case-murder/ (Feb 20, 2025)
https://wmich.edu/news/news/2025/04/graduate-success-cold-case-program-jordan-rundhaug (Apr 29, 2025)
https://www.wmuk.org/wmuk-news/2025-08-19/a-wmu-program-has-helped-solve-six-cold-case-murders-will-the-state-keep-funding-it (Aug 19, 2025)

2024

Detective determined to solve Randa’s missing person case ( TCtimes, February 9, 2024)
Randa Jawhari still missing after 15 years as police seek leads ( abc12News, February 12, 2024)
15 Years of Hell (myfenton, February 13, 2024)
Can a group of college students help solve missing woman’s case after 15 years? Detectives hope so. (mlive, February 14, 2024)
35 years later, police continue to investigate suspected murder of Traverse area mother (aol, March 2, 2024)
Western Michigan University students invigorate cold cases with passion and perseverance(WEYI, March 12, 2024)
Officials looking into the disappearance of Jacob Cabinaw more than a decade later (9 and 10 news, March 27, 2024)
Police Continue Investigating Grand Traverse Missing Person Cold Case (News Net, March 27, 2024)
Michigan Cold Case: The Mysterious Vanishing Of Jacob Cabinaw ( The River, March 28, 2024
Police renew search for missing man : Traverse City's Jacob Cabinaw has been gone for 14 years- but police have not forgotten (Record Eagle, March 29, 2024)
Police start cold case investigation for Michigan National Guard member missing since 2010(Mlive, March 30, 2024
COLD CASE PLAYING CARDS? Crime Stoppers announcing new strategy to aid unsolved cases ( Facebook, April 17, 2024)
'I just have this peace that something is going to happen': Linda Meteer's case revisited 35 years later (Yahoo!news April, 22, 2024)
Grand Traverse County Sheriff's office seeks new clues in cold case murder from 1989(UpNorthLive, April 22, 2024)
35 years later, police continue to investigate suspected murder of Traverse area mother(9and10news April, 24, 2024)
FBI joins search for missing women (WSBT News, May 9, 2024)
FBI works to solve 70s missing women case in Michigan (Wane, May 10,2024)
How to Find Old Homicide Cases Michigan (Hows.tech, June 5, 2024)
https://hughespot.s3.rbx.io.cloud.ovh.net/patrick-gilham-man-who-killed-roxanne-wood.html (Hughes Spot, June 16, 2024)
Roxanne Wood (Forensic Tales on Apple Music, July 1, 2024)
Roxanne Wood (Forensic Tales Website, July 1, 2024)
49 Years Missing: The Disappearances of Janis Sanders and Janeice Langs(Reddit, July 3, 2024)
Randa Jawhari Vanished Podcast (Vanished Podcast, July 8, 2024)
State funding expands NMU Cold Case seminar (Northern Michigan University | July 12, 2024)
Randa Jawhari Part 2- Ten of Spades (Vanished Podcast, July 15, 2024)
Clearly, we have differing definitions of “commitment.” ( Catherine Broad Blog, July 17, 2024)
NMU, MSP Cold Case Seminar expands after increase in state funding(Upword Second Wave Media, July 31^st, 2024)
Michigan State Funding Aims to Tackle Unsolved Homicide Cases (CBS Detriot | Elle Meyers | August 2, 2024)
New state funding aims to empower WMU’s Cold Case Program, offer hands-on experience (News Channel 3 | Teanna Barnes | August 5, 2024)
State Lauds success of Western Michigan University’s Cold Case Program with major financial investment (WMU News | Erin Flynn | August 14, 2024)
Western Michigan getting $200K for New Cold Case Program (WZZM13 | August 19, 2024)
Michigan man charged with murder in 2003 death of woman found in Flint River (CBS News | Dec 10^th, 2024)
Saginaw man charged in 2003 assault, murder of woman after new DNA analysis (WNEW | Dec 10^th, 2024)
Saginaw Man Charged for 2003 Cold-Case Murder of Woman Found in Flint River (Michigan.gov | Dec 10th, 2024)
Decades after woman’s body found in Flint River, man charged (Wood TV | Dec 10^th, 2024)
Michigan man charged with murder in 2003 death of woman found in Flint River (CBS News | Dec 10^th, 2024)
Saginaw man charged in 2003 assault, murder of woman after new DNA analysis (WNEW | Dec 10^th, 2024)
Saginaw Man Charged for 2003 Cold-Case Murder of Woman Found in Flint River (Michigan.gov | Dec 10th, 2024)
Decades after woman’s body found in Flint River, man charged (Wood TV | Dec 10^th, 2024)
Man charged with murder 21 years after woman strangled, stabbed, and found dead in Flint River (ClickOnDetroit | Dec 11^th, 2024)
New DNA technology and student efforts lead to arrest in 2003 Saginaw murder case (MidMichigannow | Dec 11th, 2024)
Saginaw man charged in 2003 cold-case murder (Sooleader | Dec 11, 2024)
Saginaw man charged in 2003 cold-case murder of woman found in Flint River(OurMidline | Dec 11th, 2024)
Man charged with murder 21 years after woman strangled, stabbed, and found dead in Flint River (ClickOnDetroit | Dec 11^th, 2024)
New DNA technology and student efforts lead to arrest in 2003 Saginaw murder case (MidMichigannow | Dec 11th, 2024)
Saginaw man charged in 2003 cold-case murder (Sooleader | Dec 11, 2024)
Saginaw man charged in 2003 cold-case murder of woman found in Flint River(OurMidline | Dec 11th, 2024)
2003 Cold Case Arrest (Facebook | Dec 13th, 2024)
The Number of Unsolved Cold Cases in Michigan is Terrifying (Banana1015| Dec 17^th, 2024)

2023

Decades old Niles missing person cold case reclassified as homicide abduction (WSBT, Feb. 27, 2023)
Special Report: Former investigator back on the case of two women missing since the 1970s (WSBT 22, March 31, 2023)
Special Report: Efforts ramp up to find missing women (WSBT 22, March 30, 2023)
Two Michigan women went missing 50 years ago. Now their families feel answers are close. (South Bend Tribune, March 30, 2023)
Western Michigan students, Michigan State Police partner to solve Niles cold case (ABC 57, April 14, 2023)
Arrest made in 1988 murder of young Three Rivers mother (Wood TV 8, May 1, 2023)
Suspect arrested in three decades long Three Rivers cold case (News Channel 3, May 1, 2023)
Three Rivers cold case murder suspect dies in South Carolina jail (News Channel 3, May 6, 2023)
WMU Students Help Solve 35-year-old Three Rivers Cold Case (WBCK 95.3 FM, May 2, 2023)
Suspect in 1988 murder of Three Rivers mother arrested (The Detroit News, May 1, 2023)
Michigan State Police and Three Rivers Police Department Team with Othram to Identify the Suspect in the 1988 Murder of Cathy Swartz (DNA Solves, May 1, 2023)
Suspect arrested in decades-old cold case murder of Three Rivers woman (WNDU, May 1, 2023)
Police: DNA shows Beaufort man responsible for 35-year-old cold case murder (WJCL, May 2, 2023)
Suspect Arrested in 1988 Cold Case Murder of Single Mom While 9-Month-Old Daughter Was in the Next Room: Cops (Inside Edition, May 2, 2023)
Arrest made in cold case murder of woman killed at home while her infant daughter was in the next room (Law and Crime, May 1, 2023)
Arrest made in cold case murder of Cathy Sue Swartz (WSBT 22, May 1, 2023)
Arrest made in 1988 murder of Three Rivers woman (Fox 17, May 1, 2023)
Suspect arrested from 1988 Michigan homicide (MLive, May 1, 2023)
Beaufort man arrested in 1988 Three Rivers cold case (WTOC 11, May 1, 2023)
Man recently arrested in 1988 cold case found dead in Beaufort Co. jail (WCSC 5, May 8, 2023)
Arrest made in 1988 Three Rivers murder (WOOD-TV, May 1, 2023)
Police: Suspect in 1988 Three Rivers murder found dead in cell (Yahoo!News, May 9, 2023)
South Carolina man arrested in Michigan woman's 1988 killing (Detroit Free Press, May 1, 2023)
Man recently arrested in 1988 cold case found dead in South Carolina jail (WCSC/Gray News, May 8, 2023)
Case of Teen Mom Viciously Slain in 1988 Solved, Cops Say (Daily Beast, May 1, 2023)
Suspect in 35-year-old cold case murder arrested in Beaufort (ABC 13, May 1, 2023)
WMU students assist police in solving murder case (Western Herald, May 3, 2023)
Arrest made in 1988 cold case out of St. Joseph County, Michigan (ABC 57, May 1, 2023)
Suspect’s bloody fingerprint found at 1988 murder scene (WOOD-TV, May 5, 2023)
S.C. man accused of fatally beating, stabbing, strangling teen mother in 1988 (True Crime Daily, May 2, 2023)
Police Solve Decades-Old Cold Case With Help of Western Michigan University Students (9&10 News, May 1, 2023)
Michigan cold cases cracked thanks to help from WMU students (ABC 13, May 11, 2023)
Morning News NOW Full Broadcast (NBC News, May 22, 2023)
Western's Cold Case Program helps crack second case (WMU News, May 1, 2023)
Decades-old cold case could be close to being closed (ABC 57, June 5, 2023)
Top News: Cold Case Murder Solved With Help of Students - and More (9&10 News, May 5, 2023)
WMU students help state police solve cold cases (WZZM13, May 11, 2023)
Suspect in Swartz murder found dead in South Carolina jailPolice finding closure in case; believe injuries causing Waters death were ‘self-inflicted’ (Wilcox Newspaper, May 12, 2023)
State Police look to solve cold cases with search in Bertrand Township (WSJM, June 5, 2023)
Western Michigan students, Michigan State Police partner to solve Niles cold case (ABC57, April 14, 2023)
Search continues for cold case victims' bodies on Berrien County property (WBST, June 5, 2023)
WMU cold case team helps search for remains of woman missing nearly 50 years (WZZM13, July 6, 2023)
How DNA, genealogy websites are helping Michigan police solve decades-old cold cases (Detroit News, July, 2023)
The "Unsolvable" Murder of Roxanne Wood (CBS News, August, 2023)
Genetic genealogist helps solve a case that had "a gnat's eyebrow of DNA" left from the crime scene (CBS/48 Hours, August 13, 2023)
SLIVER OF EVIDENCE ‘Unsolvable’ mystery of Roxanne Wood murder cracked by ‘gnat’s eyebrow of DNA’ that traced killer’s ancestry to 1797 (The U.S. Sun, August 12, 2023)
Sneak peek: The "Unsolvable" Murder of Roxanne Wood (CBS News, August 9, 2023)
Roxanne Wood murder case timeline (CBS News, August 9, 2023)
How a DNA "detective" helped solve an "unsolvable" Michigan cold case in four days (CBS News, August 13, 2023)

2022

Students in WMU’s cold case program gain national recognition (WKZO, Dec. 16, 2022)
WMU's crime-solving Cold Case Program may run out of money in the spring (WMUK, Dec. 16, 2022)
WMU students helping detectives in trying to solve mid-Michigan cold case homicide (WJRT, Nov. 17, 2022)
How a DNA detective helped solve an “unsolvable” Michigan cold case (CBS News/48 Hours, Nov. 12, 2022)
Michigan cold case solved 35 years after Roxanne Wood found dead in Niles home with throat cut (WDIV (Detroit), Nov. 11, 2022)
Genetic genealogist helps solve a cast that had “a gnat’s eyebrow of DNA” left from the crime scene (CBS News/48 Hours, Nov. 11, 2022)
Decades-old West Michigan cold case to be featured on '48 Hours (WPBN (Traverse City), Nov. 10, 2022)
Decades-old West Michigan cold case to be featured on '48 Hours (WWMT (Kalamazoo), Nov. 10, 2022)
Cold Case Program gains national attention, inspires expansion (WMU News, Sept. 30, 2022)
Michiana cold cases reopened after more than 40 years (WSBT, Sept. 7, 2022)
MSP Tri-Cities cold case detectives to work with Western Michigan University Cold Case Program (WJRT (Flint), Aug. 11, 2022)
Family still searching for answers in 1975 Janis Sanders disappearance (Leader Publications, July 31, 2022)
Cold Case Program live interview (WGN (Chicago), May 4, 2022)
Special Report: How Roxanne Wood's murder was solved 35 years later (WSBT 22, April 28, 2022)
Today on NBC features cold case program at Western Michigan University (MLive, April 27, 2022)
WMU students who helped crack 1987 cold case featured on the Today Show (WOOD-TV, April 26, 2022)
Students solve murder case from 1987 for college credit (Today Show, April 26, 2022)
GVSU joins WMU in partnering with MSP to solve cold cases (Fox17, April 12, 2022)
Better than a textbook: Western Michigan cold case program gives students hands-on experience (MLive, April 4, 2022)
Inside how students solved a 35-year-old murder using post-it notes (NewsNation USA, April 2, 2022)
Cold Case Cracked: Patrick Gilham arrest for Roxanne Wood murder (The U.S. Sun (international), April 2, 2022)
College criminal justice students help crack 35-year-old murder case (Crime Online, April 1, 2022 )
Decades old Michigan murder case solved with help of college kids (Lake County Star (Big Rapids, MI), April 1, 2022)
Western Michigan University students help crack 1987 Berrien County cold case murder (WDIV (Detroit), April 1, 2022)
Michigan college students help crack 1987 murder of woman found dead (People Magazine, April 1, 2022)
Western Michigan University students help police crack 1987 murder cold case (Yahoo! News, March 31, 2022)
Western Michigan University students help police crack 1987 murder cold case (NBC News, March 31, 2022)
Western Michigan students help solve 35-year-old cold case (WILX (Lansing), March 31, 2022)
35-year-old murder solved with help of Western Michigan University students (MLive, March 30, 2022)
Michigan college students solve 35-year-old cold case (Sinclair Broadcast Group stations nationwide, March 28, 2022)
Western's Cold Case Program helps police net arrest in decades-old murder (WMU News, March 10, 2022)

2021

Western Michigan University students to help Michigan State Police solve cold cases (News Channel 3, March 15, 2021)

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Stay connected with the WMU Cold Case Program as we continue supporting investigations and sharing updates from our work with the Michigan State Police over the years! Thank you for your interest in the ongoing efforts to bring answers, progress, and awareness to Michigan’s unsolved cases and victim families.