State Cold Case Unit expands

CONCORD — The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit is expanding, Gov. Kelly Ayotte and Attorney General John Formella said Tuesday in a media release. 

They’ll increase the number of state Department of Justice investigators assigned to the unit from one part-time position to two full-time positions. Additional resources for the expanded unit were approved by the Legislature.

“As a former murder prosecutor and attorney general, I know how painful it is for families when a case goes unsolved,” Ayotte wrote in the release. “This is about delivering justice, no matter how much time has passed. That’s why I included expanding the Cold Case Unit in my budget. By giving law enforcement the tools and support they need, we can pursue these cases with the urgency and care they deserve. I’m proud New Hampshire is the safest state in the nation, and we intend to keep it that way by continuing to invest in public safety.”

The Cold Case Unit is tasked with closing unsolved homicides in the state. They also investigate missing persons cases and those involving unidentified remains. A “cold case” refers to any unsolved homicide, or suspected homicide, committed in the state more than five years ago, and which has no significant leads and is no longer being actively investigated by the original investigating unit, based on a lack of probative investigative leads or their workload.

There are more than 150 such cases, 10 of which are active cold cases in Lakes Region cities and towns. Two of those — the unsolved 1985 homicide of John Crawford and the 1991 unsolved homicide of Lisa Wright — are located in Laconia. Other Lakes Region cases, like those involving the unsolved 2010 homicide of Roberta Miller in Gilford and the 2009 unsolved homicide of Stacy Burns in Wolfeboro, have garnered significant public interest. 

“This expansion strengthens our ability to focus even more New Hampshire Department of Justice resources on the Granite State’s cold cases,” Formella wrote in the release. “By dedicating additional full-time investigators within our office, we reaffirm our commitment to victims, their families, and the pursuit of justice, regardless of how much time has passed. We are grateful to Gov. Ayotte and the Legislature for including funding for these additional resources in the latest biennial budget.”

NH DOJ Deputy Chief Investigator Todd Flanagan has been assigned a full-time role. Investigator Bruce Foremny has been working part-time and will now work full-time with the Cold Case Unit. Senior Assistant Attorney General Chris Knowles leads the unit. Assistant Attorney General Rachel Harrington has been working with the unit since 2019. 

Anyone with information about any open case is encouraged to contact the Cold Case Unit at 603-271-2663, or submit a tip online at doj.nh.gov/criminal/cold-case.