DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Cold-Case Homicides in Suffolk County to Be Revisited

DA Rachael Rollins says the "PUSH" campaign will devote more law enforcement to the 1,367 unsolved murders in Suffolk County

The Suffolk District Attorney's office is launching a new initiative to revisit hundreds of cold-case homicides.

DA Rachael Rollins says the campaign will devote more law enforcement time and resources to unsolved murders in Suffolk County, which includes Boston.

"We are going to have eyes on every one of these files," Rollins said.

The campaign was launched Friday under the acronym PUSH, which stands for Project for Unsolved Suffolk Homicides. Authorities say there are 1,367 open murder cases dating back to the 1960s.

Rollins said she will use her 4-year term to get through as many cases as she can.

The DA said she empathizes with families who have lost a loved one and are still waiting for justice.

"There is no statute of limitations on murder. And we are looking and we will find you and get accountability and answers for these families," Rollins said.

For people like Mary Ann Davis, whose grandson Jordan Miller was killed, the new initiative could mean answers in the Miller case.

"I hope even if it's not my grandson's case that's solved, some other mother that's even wondering what happened — that will give her closure," Davis said.

Rollins said easing up on prosecutions of nonviolent crimes such as drug possession and shoplifting will let law enforcement focus on unsolved slayings.

A team of staff members will first review the case and then send them either to a legal team in Rollins' office or back to the Boston Police Department, which has doubled the size of its unsolved homicide unit to help in the effort.

The DA hopes to complete the first wave of casework by December.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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