A. As used in this section, “cold case” means an investigation into a homicide, missing person, or unidentified person case that has remained unsolved for at least five years after the crime occurred, the person went missing, or the unidentified body was found, whichever occurred last.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 52-34.16

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245

B. The Superintendent of State Police shall establish and maintain a searchable electronic database of cold cases to assist law-enforcement agencies in the development of information leading to the identification and arrest of persons who may have committed the crimes or to persons who may have relevant information to solve the case. Such database shall be available to the public through the Department of State Police official website.

C. The searchable electronic database shall include (i) the category of cold case and, in the case of a homicide or missing person, the name of the victim or missing person, unless disclosure is prohibited or restricted by § 19.2-11.2; (ii) the location where the crime was committed, where the person was last seen, or where the body was found, if known; (iii) the date and time the crime occurred, the person was last seen, or the body was found, if known; (iv) the name and contact information of the investigating law-enforcement agency; (v) a brief summary of the crime or case; and (vi) any other information that the investigating law-enforcement agency determines is appropriate. The Department of State Police and submitting law-enforcement agencies shall have the discretion to withhold such information, in whole or in part, from the database (a) as they deem necessary for investigative purposes, protection of privacy, or any other lawful reason or (b) upon request of the victim’s or missing person’s next of kin.

2020, c. 1127, § 52-34.13.

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