- Search newspaper archives like Chronicling America to see if there are any old articles about a specific crime.
- Visit state-sponsored unsolved crime databases to learn more about cold case homicides.
- Check out federal sites like the National Archives’ Vital Records page to find plenty of useful databases related to death records.
How to Look Up Old Murders
Search newspaper archives for old articles. If you have a specific case (or even a specific time period) in mind, a digital newspaper archive could be a great way to glean extra information from journalists who covered the case at the time. Be sure to have the victim’s name on hand for your search, as well as the location where they were murdered. Here are a few sites to get you started: Chronicling America (Library of Congress), Newspapers.com (offers free trial), Google News Archive Search Some sites offer state-specific digital newspaper libraries, including Michigan, Pennsylvania,Arizona, and many more places. If you have a specific case in mind, look up the digital newspaper library for where the corresponding homicide took place. If you don’t have a specific case in mind that you’re looking up, enter homicide-related keywords into the search bar, like murder, stabbing, and so on. Warning: The older the homicide case is, the more difficult it might be to find lots of credible information on it. Recent cases (ones that occurred in the age of the internet) will likely have more info available.
Visit government sites dedicated to unsolved cases. Many states have created databases that compile information on a variety of their unsolved homicides. While these sites won’t be helpful if you’re researching a closed case, they can be an invaluable resource for anyone looking to study unsolved cases. Search the name of your state plus “unsolved crime database” and see what comes up. States like Texas, Virginia, Maine, and many more have this type of site widely available.
Investigate public records online for more information. US public records are often kept and organized on a state level rather than a federal one, so it helps to have a specific case in mind before hitting a particular database. Different state sites are operated and organized in different ways, so you may need to follow a slightly different process depending on which state’s site you’re using. You’ll need to know specific information about the case to get more accurate search results this way, like the name of the suspect, the case number, or the name of the attorney associated with the case.
Check out federal websites for death records. There are tons of different databases out there with comprehensive lists of death records like Find A Grave and Online Searchable Death Indexes. Keep in mind that these lists will include people who died both violently and from natural causes, so be sure to have a specific name in mind (as well as the date/time they died) before you start searching. Check out the National Archives’ Vital Records page for even more resources. Genealogy sites (like Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, and FamilySearch) can also be useful resources for finding death records—just keep in mind that these sites often require a subscription of some type.
Call up the police department or District Attorney (DA). The police and/or DA’s office are sure to have information on old homicide cases, even if they didn’t happen recently. Google the number of your local police office (the non-emergency line) or DA—or, if you’re looking up an old homicide case in a different area, look up the police department or DA number for that area. “Hi, I was calling in regard to the unsolved 1998 homicide case of Jane Doe. I was wondering if I could ask a police officer for some information about the investigation?” “I’m researching an old homicide case that DA Evans prosecuted back in 2017, and was wondering what information his office had about the case that was available to the public.”
Chat with your friends and loved ones and see what they know. If you have friends or family who have lived in a certain location for a while, ask them if they know anything about any well-known homicides (solved or unsolved) in their area. Feel free to ask them about a specific case, too, if you think they might have some information on it.
Google the basic info if you have a case in mind. Type in the name of the victim, along with any other relevant information you know about the case, like the year and location. A simple Google search can potentially provide a lot of helpful info about the case in question. Visit Google’s Advanced Search page if you’d to get more specific search results. This search page allows you to narrow your results by date, web domain, and more.
Homicide Terminology
First-degree murder In a first-degree murder, the killer intentionally and deliberately murders their victim—it isn’t something done in the heat of the moment. This type of crime typically comes with a lifelong prison sentence with no parole or even the death penalty. Parole is when criminals are allowed to live outside of prison while still being closely monitored.
Second-degree murder A second-degree murder is any homicide that is committed at the same time as a felony. Criminals charged with second-degree murder can end up with a life sentence in prison (without parole), including any co-conspirators who didn’t commit murder. Felonies are severe crimes that have serious charges attached to them, like 1+ years in prison (or even the death penalty).
Third-degree murder Third-degree murder is an umbrella term for any other types of murder that don’t fall under the first- or second-degree categories. The sentences associated with third-degree charges don’t last nearly as long and are typically capped off at 40 years.
Voluntary manslaughter Voluntary manslaughter involves a murder that happens in the heat of the moment, often when the murderer is provoked/instigated into committing violence. This can include people who kill others in self-defense without reasonable cause. People committed of voluntary manslaughter aren’t in prison for more than 20 years.
Involuntary manslaughter Involuntary manslaughter involves a killing that wasn’t caused through intention or provocation but is still a person’s fault due to extreme negligence. People given this conviction may spend up to 5 years in prison.
Can civilians investigate cold cases?
Yes, as long as they aren’t interfering with the ongoing investigation. Plenty of people consider themselves “citizen detectives,” or civilians doing online research in their free time to help solve cold cases. Veterans in the citizen detective community strongly advise following the guideline of “do no harm”—in other words, don’t do anything that would slow down the actual investigation or cause greater emotional pain to a victim’s family. Any new evidence or leads always need to be turned over to the police department presiding over the case. Check out this guide to learn the basics and best practices of being a citizen detective. A citizen detective’s primary goal is to conduct digital research—not to conduct interviews, collect evidence, or do any physical police work.
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