
Cold Case Homicides
Practical Investigative Techniques
CRC Press
3rd Edition
Will be published approx. on 19. February 2026
Book
Hardback
640 pages
978-1-032-54195-2 (ISBN)
Description
The Third Edition of Cold Case Homicides remains a vital resource for students and professionals alike, offering a comprehensive guide to the investigation and resolution of unsolved cases. Updated with the latest advancements, this edition emphasizes the evolving landscape of cold case work, including cutting-edge forensic tools, the expanding role of digital and mobile evidence, and the transformative impact of DNA technologies, especially forensic genealogy and familial matching. Readers will gain insight into the most recent techniques for leveraging public records, social media, and data analysis in cold case reviews. Richly illustrated and grounded in practical application, the text underscores how emerging technologies and a reassessment of earlier missteps can breathe new life into dormant investigations. Whether used in academic settings or by active investigators, this edition demonstrates how today's tools and methodologies can bridge gaps left by past limitations, bringing justice and closure to long-unsolved crimes.
More details
Series
Edition
3rd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Professional Practice & Development and Undergraduate Advanced
Illustrations
16 s/w Tabellen, 4 farbige Zeichnungen, 2 s/w Zeichnungen, 87 Farbfotos bzw. farbige Rasterbilder, 34 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder, 91 farbige Abbildungen, 36 s/w Abbildungen
16 Tables, black and white; 4 Line drawings, color; 2 Line drawings, black and white; 87 Halftones, color; 34 Halftones, black and white; 91 Illustrations, color; 36 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 161 mm
Width: 242 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
1168 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-54195-2 (9781032541952)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2026
3rd Edition
CRC Press
€88.49
Available for download

E-Book
02/2026
3rd Edition
CRC Press
€88.49
Available for download
Previous edition

Book
07/2017
2nd Edition
CRC Press
€178.26
Article not available for order
Persons
Rachel H. Walton: Dr. Rachel Walton brings over 35 years of California law enforcement experience and 15 years of college-level instruction, with expertise in homicide, cold cases, arson, and fraud. She led a landmark 13-year reinvestigation of a 1920s homicide that resulted in a posthumous pardon for a wrongfully convicted man. A sought-after speaker, she has presented to the FBI Academy, RCMP, NCIS, AAFS, and others. Dr. Walton earned her Ed.D. from the University of San Francisco with the first academic research on solvability factors in cold case homicides, and is the author of Cold Case Homicide: Practical Investigative Techniques.
Frank P. Tona: Frank P. Tona is a Lieutenant with the Charles County Sheriff's Office in Maryland, one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the U.S., where he has served since 2002. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from SUNY Brockport and an M.P.A. from Norwich University. Lt. Tona is a Board Member of the Mid-Atlantic Cold Case Homicide Investigator's Association, a Fellow at the Future Policing Institute, and a member of the Vidocq Society and International Homicide Investigators Association. He also serves as an adjunct instructor at Norwich University, John Jay College, Franciscan University, and the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Frank P. Tona: Frank P. Tona is a Lieutenant with the Charles County Sheriff's Office in Maryland, one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the U.S., where he has served since 2002. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from SUNY Brockport and an M.P.A. from Norwich University. Lt. Tona is a Board Member of the Mid-Atlantic Cold Case Homicide Investigator's Association, a Fellow at the Future Policing Institute, and a member of the Vidocq Society and International Homicide Investigators Association. He also serves as an adjunct instructor at Norwich University, John Jay College, Franciscan University, and the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Content
Preface. Foreword. Introduction PART I: THE INVESTIGATION 1. The Cold Case Problem 2. Case File Review 3. Learning the Case 4. The Investigation 5. The Role of the Medical Examiner 6. Death Certificate, Obituary, & Coroner's Inquest 7. No Body Cases & Long-Term Missing Persons 8. The Prosecution of Cold Case Homicides 9. Criminal Investigative Analysis 10. Long Term Memory/Interview & Interrogation PART II: TECHNOLOGY 11. The Role of the Crime Lab 12. Trace Evidence 13. Forensic Anthropology 14. Forensic Dentistry 15. Investigative Genetic Genealogy 16. Linguistic Analysis for Cold Case Homicides 17. The Role of the Crime Analyst 18. Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) 19. The Print Media 20. Using Social Media Platforms & the Broadcast Media 21. Digital Forensics in Cold Case Homicides PART III: RESOURCES 22. Victim Advocacy 23. Establishing & Maintaining Cold Case Homicide Units 24. The Role of Academia 25. The Use of Canines 26. "Who you Know" Additional Resources. Afterword