HCSO forms Cold Case Unit and launches unsolved cases database

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce the launch of a new online database of unsolved missing persons and suspected homicide cases.

The HCSO Unsolved Cases Database features information regarding 57 unsolved missing persons and suspected homicide cases dating back to the 1950’s held by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The database includes victim photos and information, case summaries, and an interactive map plotting the general location of each case.

In addition to the new database, Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal has appointed two deputy sheriffs to the agency’s newly formed Cold Case Unit. The deputies are retired peace officers who have decades of investigative experience and will be exclusively reviewing these unsolved cases for new leads.

“Our Cold Case Unit deputies have been in contact with friends and family of the victims in these cases and are working to develop new leads and suspect information,” Sheriff Honsal said. “But we can’t do this without the public’s help and that’s why this new database is crucial. We hope seeing the faces of these victims and reading the summaries of their cases will help jog a memory or some information that might lead to a resolution. We urge the community to review the database and contact us if you have information to share about any of these cases. Even information that may seem insignificant can lead to the next big break on a case.”

A case is considered unsolved and eligible to be placed in this new database if:

There are no known suspects or suspects have been identified but the case lacks sufficient evidence needed to meet probable cause requirements for prosecution;

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is the primary investigating agency on this case;

The case occurred in 2019 or earlier.

This database does not include all homicides or missing persons cases for Humboldt County and will be updated as new information is received or progress is made on a case. Some information and/or cases may not be available or listed due to the investigative status of a case.

Anyone with information to share about a case in this database should contact the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539, submit information using our Online Crime Tip Form, or email hsotipline@co.humboldt.ca.us.