Cold Case Investigation for Beginners: How Modern Detectives Solve Decades-Old Murders Using DNA, Genetic Genealogy, and Forensic Science ... Serial Killers, Forensics Psychology)

Some murders are never solved.

They simply wait for the future.

A fingerprint overlooked. A DNA sample that could not be analyzed. A witness who remained silent for decades.

Then technology changes.

A cold case is not necessarily a forgotten investigation. It may be an investigation waiting for new evidence, new technology, or a new way of thinking.

Cold Case Investigation for Beginners takes you inside the world of modern homicide investigations and shows how detectives, forensic scientists, criminal profilers, and investigative genetic genealogists reopen decades-old cases and search for answers.

Written in a clear and accessible style, this practical guide combines real criminal cases with modern forensic science and investigative methods, making complex techniques understandable even if you have no previous experience.

INSIDE THIS BOOK YOU'LL DISCOVER:

• Why homicide investigations go cold and what can cause a case to remain unsolved for decades

• How investigators reopen cold cases using new evidence, new technologies, and new investigative approaches

• The most common investigative problems and mistakes found in unsolved homicide investigations

• How DNA profiling, STR analysis, SNP testing, and forensic genetic genealogy have transformed cold case investigations

• How biological evidence preserved for decades can help identify an unknown offender

• How investigative genetic genealogy can connect DNA evidence with family relationships and genealogical research

• The investigative methods behind famous cases involving the Golden State Killer, Zodiac, JonBenét Ramsey, Yara Gambirasio, and the Monster of Florence

• How artificial intelligence and digital technologies are beginning to influence modern forensic investigations

• The ethical and legal issues surrounding DNA databases, genetic genealogy, privacy, and investigative evidence

• Practical investigator checklists, case studies, quizzes, and investigative scenarios designed to help you understand the reasoning behind cold case investigations

THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A COLLECTION OF TRUE CRIME STORIES.

It is a practical introduction to the methods used to examine evidence, reconstruct events, evaluate suspects, and revisit investigations that appeared to have reached a dead end.

WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?

• Criminology and criminal justice students
• True crime enthusiasts
• Readers interested in forensic science
• Aspiring investigators and researchers
• Mystery and crime writers
• Readers fascinated by unsolved murders and criminal investigations

You don't need a background in criminology or forensic science.

You need curiosity, attention to detail, and a willingness to look at old evidence from a new perspective.

UPDATED FOR 2026

This edition includes updated material on forensic genetic genealogy, DNA investigation, artificial intelligence, digital investigations, contemporary forensic developments, case studies, quizzes, and practical investigative exercises.

Every cold case tells two stories:

The crime that happened.

And the investigation that never truly ended.

Sometimes the evidence was always there.

We simply didn't yet know how to read it.