Tulsa Investigators Create Worldwide Cold Case Organization

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK – An organization that began in Tulsa has now gone worldwide.

The International Association of Cold Case Investigators was created by some Tulsa homicide detectives and a former police chief.

Despite all the modern crime solving techniques, like DNA and fingerprint databases, 35 percent of all homicides since 2000 in this country are unsolved, yet there has never been one central place people can go for help to solve these cold cases -- until now.

The Tulsa murder of Geraldine Martin started the ball rolling for the new organization. She was kidnapped and murdered in 1975. The case went cold until nearly 30-years later when a California detective backtracked a suspected serial killer's footsteps. 

Sure enough, DNA pointed to 63-year-old Clyde Wilkerson. It could've been solved years earlier, had there just been a centralized database of information. 

That got some men, with more than 150 years of law enforcement experience between them, thinking of creating a one-stop clearing house for information and experts who could help solve cold cases.

"Better education, better training, better research methods to understand cold case homicides," said Harry Stege, former TPD Chief.

They've spent the last five years gathering experts from every field imaginable -- medical, legal, forensic and law enforcement -- from all over the globe, including Mexico, Spain, Australia and Canada. 

One of the first goals of the group is to create a serial killer database, something that has never been done in the U.S.

"We'll couple that with mapping technology and time line issues to see where cases integrate, where those remains are, where missing people were reported and maybe even serial killer information to see who was working that area," said Sgt. Mike Huff, TPD Major Crimes Unit.

The group won't be investigating cold cases, but will be able to help anyone in the world who is, by bringing resources, tools and contacts to one location. 

It has been a huge undertaking.

"We're very proud of it. We've met some awesome people who want to be a part of it. We know eventually, in our little area, we'll change the world," said Sgt. Mike Huff.

The IACCI has asked News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright to be a board member, as a media contact for law enforcement and victims' families involved with cold cases. 

The group is holding its first conference. The conference, titled “Medico-Legal Considerations in Investigations,” will take place Wednesday through Friday in the OSU-Tulsa Auditorium.

Participants will share new methodologies, technologies and training associated with cold case investigations.

Registration for the conference is $65. To register, or for more information, contact Harry Stege at 918-409-5026.