Retired Reserve Deputy Wants To Help Cold Case Task Force With Dying Wish

A retired reserve deputy for the Tulsa County Sheriff's office has a dying wish to help members of the Tulsa County Cold Case Task  Force.

Jim Hardin has helped worked on unsolved murders for many years, but after being told he only has months to live he decided to raffle off his car and give the money to the task force, to support their work.

Jim Hardin was semi-retired when a friend suggested he volunteer at the Tulsa County Sheriff's office and he was immediately put in charge of organizing old homicide evidence in the property room. He did such a good job, he was put in charge of organizing the cases in the basement too, then he started reading the cases and connecting some dots and he was hooked.

"It's a passion, it really is. You either like it or you don't," said Hardin.

At age 55, he decided being a volunteer wasn't enough, so he became a reserve deputy and kept volunteering to look into the cold cases and even solved a murder. 

"I realize the families are always looking for answers. People talk about closure. These families will never get closure, but, they will get an answer," said Hardin.

He greatly admires the team of retired investigators put together by Sheriff Vic Regalado to work on the county's 30 unsolved murders and knows they spend plenty of money out of the own pockets and wanted to help, so he's raffling off his car.

"I wouldn't be afraid to take it anywhere, it's in excellent shape," said Hardin.

They'll sell 200 tickets at $50 each for a chance to win the 2006 Subaru Outback Limited with 145,000 miles on it that's been well maintained. He says of the $10,000 raised, he'll use some of it for his end of life expenses and donate 5,500 to the task force.

“It's a close-knit group and it's a group of friends I didn't think I'd have this late in life, so it's been a great blessing to me as well," said Hardin.

The drawing will be held on October 30^th. You don’t have to be present to win. They’ll call you and you’ll have 72 hours to contact them. To buy a ticket, call the Cold Case Taskforce office at 918-596-5723.