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| Reed City Michigan State Police Post |
UPDATE: If you're naturally curious like me, you may have noticed more activity than usual at the old State Police Post in Reed City, which was closed to walk-in business in 2011. That's because, as I learned recently, a cold case team quietly convened months ago and has been working behind the scenes on the unsolved homicide cases in our area.
Reed City, we are in good hands.
Some of the same investigators who worked exhaustively to put a case together for the prosecutor in the Shannon Siders case are now looking at our longest unsolved cases, including that of Esther Gaffney, Janette Roberson, and Sue Clason.
Old interviews are being combed over, new interviews are being done, and evidence that has been held for decades in some cases, is being resubmitted for analysis with technology that has thankfully travelled light years since the days when DNA testing was not regularly performed.
If you're curious about human nature and why bad guys do the things they do, you've likely watched Dateline, or 20/20, or any number of true crime shows, and you understand that more often than not, this is how cold cases get solved. The tiniest speck of evidence that long ago would have gone unseen can now be subjected to testing which can provide volumes of information.
As the old adage says, "Evidence doesn't lie, people do."
The team of cold case investigators is armed with years of experience and determined to bring resolution to each of these cases, but the best part about it is... they sound optimistic. If the successful conviction of Matthew and Paul Jones is any indication, there may well be some bad guys out there with serious cause for concern.
“Many cold cases are solved because the passage of time allows reluctant and fearful witnesses the courage to come forward,” said Detective First Lieutenant Mike Anderson, Michigan State Police 6th District Special Investigation Section. “The investigative team would like to thank the Newaygo County community for telling the truth to bring justice for Shannon.” ~Grand Rapids Legal News, May, 2015
I wrote in Redacted: A Search for Truth About the Murder of Janette Roberson that if Janette's case were to be solved, it would be the people of this community who make that happen, and I still believe this to be true.
These crimes are old, most of them decades. Many of the people associated with Janette's case are much older now; some have passed away. If there is one thing I know for certain it's that you never want to take something to the grave that you should've left here, so if you know something, please say something.
Police would rather get hundreds of tips that lead nowhere than miss a piece of the puzzle that never came in because you thought it was probably nothing.
It's never nothing, I promise you that.
While I'm not an overly religious person, I know many in our community are, so I will also mention that prayers and positive vibes for the team working these cases won't be turned away, either.
Today's press release involves the unsolved homicide of Esther Gaffney:
Today's press release involves the unsolved homicide of Esther Gaffney:
PRESS RELEASE:
TASK FORCE TO INVESTIGATE UNSOLVED
OSCEOLA COUNTY HOMICIDE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6/27/16
ROCKFORD: A task force of investigators from the
Michigan State Police, in conjunction with Osceola County Prosecutor Tyler
Thompson, is focusing on the 2004 homicide of Tustin resident Esther Gaffney.
Eighty year old Esther
Gaffney lived alone at her residence on Tustin Rd., north of the Village of
Tustin. On July 12th, 2004,
Esther was found deceased inside her home. An autopsy concluded that the manner
of Esther’s death was homicide.
For the past 12 years, detectives
have continued to investigate the case following up on numerous tips. Task force members are confident that
advances in forensic science and information technology will generate new leads
and aid investigators in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.
Cold cases are often solved
because the passage of time allows witnesses and persons with information to
come forward. Investigators feel that
there are persons with information that will be pertinent to this case. Detectives are asking anyone with information
regarding the homicide of Esther Gaffney to contact the cold case tip line of
the Michigan State Police Mt. Pleasant Post at (989) 775-9302.
MEDIA CONTACT:
D/F/Lt. Michael Anderson,
Michigan State Police, 6th District Headquarters, (616)-866-6684
Lt. Gary Green, Michigan
State Police, Mt. Pleasant Post, (989) 773-5951
D/Sgt. John Forner, Michigan
State Police, 6th District Headquarters, (989) 775-9302
