Date of Defense

4-15-2025

Date of Graduation

4-2025

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Ashlyn Kuersten

Second Advisor

Bradford Dennis

Abstract

According to the Michigan State Police (2023), murder/non-negligent manslaughter, commonly known as homicide, is the “willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.” The Murder Accountability Project suggests there could be over 20,000 unsolved homicide cases in Michigan between 1965 and 2023 (2024). Despite the prevalence of unsolved cases, scholarly analysis on the topic is limited. This study examines solvability factors, also known as clearance factors, for cold homicide cases in Michigan by conducting a systematic literature review with news publications. Additionally, this study incorporates experiential insight, offering a holistic exploration of solvability factors. Using a systematic approach, 15 newspaper articles were identified through qualitative content analysis based on specific inclusion criteria such as the location of the homicide, resolution factor information, and clearance criteria.

The results established that the top three solvability factors for cold homicide cases in Michigan as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), present in 74% of cases (n=11); forensic genealogy, present in 33% of cases (n=5); and case reexamination by a new investigative team, also present in 33% of cases (n=5). An analysis of cold case duration revealed that the average length of a cold homicide case in Michigan is 31.67 years. Additionally, a Pearson correlation analysis showed a strong negative correlation between the year a homicide occurred and the time to resolution (r= -0.9945), suggesting that recent cases tend to be resolved more quickly. The present study underscores the efficacy of technological advancements such as DNA analysis and forensic genealogy, along with the importance of reinvestigation and collaboration to resolve cold cases, ensure justice, and uphold public safety.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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