2 cold cases solved, 3 arrested, officials say (2024)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday night its solved two cold cases, according to Capt. Scott Coffer, with the Union County Sheriff’s Office.The sheriff held a news conference Tuesday to talk about these cases. Watch it below.The first case involved Haley Thomason, Coffer said.On Feb. 9 2020 deputies responded to a home on Gideon Street in the Jonesville community due to a suspicious death, Coffer said.According to Coffer, after a 16-month investigation by Union County Sheriff’s Office, SLED and Union County Coroner’s Office, Dylan Thomason was charged Monday with the murder of his former wife. The investigation is still active, Coffer said.The second cold case stems from a double shooting in 2015, Coffer said.According to Coffer, the first shooting happened on April 15, 2015, on Horseshoe Circle. Cornelius Crawford was standing outside his residence and was shot, Coffer said.According to Coffer, approximately 50 minutes later in the early morning hours of April 16, 2015 deputies responded to a shooting at on Haas Street in the Monarch community. When deputies arrived they found Christopher L. Rhinehart shot outside of his home. He died from his injuries, Coffer said.According to Coffer, in both of these cases the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union Public Safety Department and SLED worked these cases until all investigative leads and witnesses were exhausted.In 2021 both of these cases were reopened and through the work of UCSO, UPSD and SLED the two cases were linked together and charged were Cedrick R. Woods and Quenterous D. Jeter, Coffer said.Both men were charged with the attempted murder of Crawford and the murder of Rhinehart, Coffer said.“I would like to thank UPSD, SLED, 16Th Circuit Solicitor Office, Union County Coroner’s Office, Victim’s Advocate and the Investigative Unit here at the Sheriff’s Office. All of these departments and agencies have worked tirelessly to bring closure to the victim’s and their families. I want to remind you that just because arrests have been made these are still active investigations.” Sheriff Jeff Bailey said.“New evidence and new peoples statements, and people coming forward to help Is what really helped us get these cases resolved," said Sheriff Bailey, "I’m a believer in using all assets you can. It’s not just about what Union County has as an asset to use- I don’t mind calling out calling people a SLED, All the federal agencies of in contact with others, they tell me here’s my number call me if you need me. And trust me, I do. If I have an issue I want them in union county. I want as much law enforcement in union county as we can get.” Union County Sheriff's Office is currently working on 10 area cold cases, 6 specifically in the county.Tips on a cold case? PLEASE CALL 1-888-CRIME-SC

UNION COUNTY, S.C. —

The Union County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday night its solved two cold cases, according to Capt. Scott Coffer, with the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff held a news conference Tuesday to talk about these cases. Watch it below.

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The first case involved Haley Thomason, Coffer said.

On Feb. 9 2020 deputies responded to a home on Gideon Street in the Jonesville community due to a suspicious death, Coffer said.

According to Coffer, after a 16-month investigation by Union County Sheriff’s Office, SLED and Union County Coroner’s Office, Dylan Thomason was charged Monday with the murder of his former wife.

The investigation is still active, Coffer said.

The second cold case stems from a double shooting in 2015, Coffer said.

According to Coffer, the first shooting happened on April 15, 2015, on Horseshoe Circle.

Cornelius Crawford was standing outside his residence and was shot, Coffer said.

According to Coffer, approximately 50 minutes later in the early morning hours of April 16, 2015 deputies responded to a shooting at on Haas Street in the Monarch community.

When deputies arrived they found Christopher L. Rhinehart shot outside of his home. He died from his injuries, Coffer said.

According to Coffer, in both of these cases the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union Public Safety Department and SLED worked these cases until all investigative leads and witnesses were exhausted.

In 2021 both of these cases were reopened and through the work of UCSO, UPSD and SLED the two cases were linked together and charged were Cedrick R. Woods and Quenterous D. Jeter, Coffer said.

Both men were charged with the attempted murder of Crawford and the murder of Rhinehart, Coffer said.

“I would like to thank UPSD, SLED, 16Th Circuit Solicitor Office, Union County Coroner’s Office, Victim’s Advocate and the Investigative Unit here at the Sheriff’s Office. All of these departments and agencies have worked tirelessly to bring closure to the victim’s and their families. I want to remind you that just because arrests have been made these are still active investigations.” Sheriff Jeff Bailey said.

“New evidence and new peoples statements, and people coming forward to help Is what really helped us get these cases resolved," said Sheriff Bailey, "I’m a believer in using all assets you can. It’s not just about what Union County has as an asset to use- I don’t mind calling out calling people a SLED, All the federal agencies of in contact with others, they tell me here’s my number call me if you need me. And trust me, I do. If I have an issue I want them in union county. I want as much law enforcement in union county as we can get.”

Union County Sheriff's Office is currently working on 10 area cold cases, 6 specifically in the county.

Tips on a cold case? PLEASE CALL 1-888-CRIME-SC

2 cold cases solved, 3 arrested, officials say (2024)

FAQs

How many cases have been solved on Cold Justice? ›

Breaking News - Oxygen's True Crime Investigative Series "Cold Justice" Returns Saturday, Feb. 24 at 8 P.M. ET/PT with New Unsolved Cases | TheFutonCritic.com. The series, produced by Wolf Entertainment and Magical Elves, continues to set the bar as the only series that has led to 24 convictions and 59 arrests.

What cold case was solved by DNA? ›

50-year-old Colorado cold case solved after DNA technology identifies woman's killer. Thomas Martin Elliot, who died in 1991, was identified as the killer of Teree Becker, a "free spirit" who was found dead on Dec. 6, 1975, in Westminster, Colorado. For nearly 50 years, no one knew what happened to Teree Becker.

What is a cold case in the FBI? ›

A case becomes “Cold” when all probative investigative leads available to the primary investigators are exhausted and the case remains open and unsolved after a period of three years. Cold Cases are reviewed to determine if newer technologies or forensic testing may produce any new potential leads.

How many cold case murders are there in the US? ›

To answer those questions, there are currently more than 200,000 unsolved homicides in the United States, and that number rises by around 6,000 every year. As for which US state has the most unsolved murders, as expected due to it's massive population, California has the most unsolved murders.

What is the biggest cold case in history? ›

Here are some of the world's most famous cold cases.
  1. Elizabeth Short. Elizabeth Short, also known as the Black Dahlia, was murdered in 1947. Like thousands of others, Elizabeth wanted to be a star. ...
  2. The Zodiac Killer. The Zodiac Killer was responsible for several murders in the San Francisco area in the 1960s and 1970s.

Who are the two ladies that solve cold cases? ›

Reality series following former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and crime scene investigator Yolanda McClary as they crack cold cases across the U.S. 200,000 unsolved murders a year. 2 experts change everything. It's more than a show.

What is the oldest unsolved cold case? ›

How this story was reported. The 1957 kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph is the nation's oldest cold case to go to trial. This story was pieced together by CNN's Ann O'Neill through interviews and public records.

What case was solved by trace evidence? ›

One of the most famous cases involving trace evidence was that of Wayne Williams, convicted of two counts of murder in 1982 in the infamous Atlanta Child Murders case. For a period of 22 months beginning in 1979, 30 black children and young men had disappeared or died under suspicious circ*mstances.

What happened to Jessica Keen? ›

Evidence showed Keen had escaped his car and run into Foster Chapel Cemetery, where she collided with a fence post and fell. Smith beat Keen to death with a tombstone, which he then discarded over a nearby fence. In exchange for his admission of guilt, Smith avoided a death penalty trial that was set for March 2009.

What is the FBI most famous case? ›

While by no means a comprehensive list, here are some of the most famous:
  • Bonnie & Clyde. ...
  • Rosenberg Espionage Case. ...
  • Assassination of JFK. ...
  • Murder of Medgar Evers. ...
  • D.B. ...
  • Patty Hearst Kidnapping. ...
  • The Unabomber. ...
  • Oklahoma City Bombings. On the morning of April 19, 1995, a truck exploded outside the Alfred P.
Oct 16, 2023

Does the FBI have jail cells? ›

The FBI is a Federal L:aw Enforcement agency. They use federal courts and their cells. There are federal prisons but for people that are just arrested or awaiting trial the FBI uses local jails. When held for federal charges they are kept in federal jails.

Are cold case files available to the public? ›

Case files are governed by state laws regarding access to public records. All states have some sort of freedom of information or public records law. Records requests are sometimes routinely denied on the grounds that a case is "open," but that might not be what the law says.

What state in the US has the most murders? ›

As in 2019 and 2020, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama hold the first, second, and third highest murder rates in the country, respectively. The rest of the 10 states with the highest murder rates include the usual suspects—South Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Georgia.

What state has the most cold case murders? ›

According to Project Cold Case, there are more than 20,000 open homicide cold cases in Florida since 1965. This makes Florida the sixth-highest state for unsolved homicide cases, behind California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Michigan. Kalisha Jefferson and Shakeria Stokes are the mother and sister of Tre Lyons.

What is the most unsolved crime? ›

The two most common types of unsolved crimes are murders and missing persons. A shocking number of murders go unsolved each year. The FBI has reported that approximately 40 percent of the nation's homicides go unsolved. Simply put, people are getting away with murder.

What detective solved the most cases? ›

He was promoted to sergeant in 1980, and returned to homicide in 1984. As a homicide detective, Kenda solved 356 of 387 homicide cases, a closure rate of 92%. Kenda credited his ability to close cases to being a student of human nature and being good at telling when people were lying.

What is the oldest Cold Justice case? ›

The 1957 kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Maria Ridulph is the nation's oldest cold case to go to trial. This story was pieced together by CNN's Ann O'Neill through interviews and public records.

Who has solved the most cases? ›

Allan Pinkerton: The son of William Pinkerton and the head of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency after his father's death. Allan Pinkerton is credited with solving over 1,000 cases in his career.

What cases are still not solved? ›

50 Strangest Unsolved Mysteries
  • The Body on Somerton Beach. In December 1948, a body was found on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, Australia. ...
  • The Strange Disappearance of D.B. ...
  • The Black Dahlia Murder. ...
  • Wall Street Bombing of 1920. ...
  • The Disturbing Death of Elisa Lam. ...
  • Jack the Ripper. ...
  • The Zodiac Killer. ...
  • The Case of JonBenét Ramsey.
Mar 2, 2023

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