Texas Bexar County Cold Case Unit disbanded

Texas Bexar County Cold Case Unit disbanded is a set back for the families of Patty Vaughan and Tracy Allen. In My San Antonio Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said that the two-person cold case unit is being disbanded and the office’s 120 unsolved murder cases will be divvied up among investigators starting Oct. 1.

Years ago, a grant created the unit, which has since been staffed by patrol officers Louis Antu and Adrian Ramirez, whose jobs are to investigate only cold cases. But after an August study of the Sheriff’s Office’s operations, Pamerleau said, she has decided that the cases would be better handled by others.

“We determined a more effective way of addressing cold cases was by placing this function with our investigators instead of just patrol officers, who were doing a good job,” Pamerleau said.

Aside from removing Antu and Ramirez from the unit, though, details on how cold cases will be investigated in the future are scant. Pamerleau said she isn’t sure where Antu and Ramirez will be reassigned, and it’s not exactly clear how the cold cases will be divvied up.”

I can only hope that we will hear very soon what Sheriff Pamerleau’s plans are for all their cold cases. Is there a possibility to extend the grant that created the unit in the first place?

Every time I read about a dismantled cold case unit I fear that even more victims will be forgotten. Let’s hope this will not be the case.