CONCORD, NH – New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella last week welcomed cold case investigators from across New England for a two-day summit aimed at strengthening cross-border collaboration, advancing investigative techniques, and improving outcomes for long-term unsolved cases.
Formella commended attendees for their dedication to solving the region’s most complex and long-standing cases and highlighting the importance of coordinated multi-agency work.
“We were honored to host this summit and to engage directly with the exceptional investigators, forensic experts, and partners who joined us from across Northern New England and the federal government,” said Attorney General Formella. “Cold case work is some of the most complex and meaningful work in our justice system, and gatherings like this strengthen our ability to pursue these cases with renewed insight, innovation, and collaboration. By sharing best practices and building stronger partnerships, we are better positioned to uncover the truth, move investigations forward, and deliver long-overdue answers to victims and their families.”
Hosted by the New Hampshire Department of Justice and led by the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit, the summit brought together more than 70 participants, including detectives, prosecutors, forensic scientists, medical experts, analysts, and victim-services professionals from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont, as well as federal partners from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of State.
“This summit highlights the importance of law enforcement agencies working together across borders and jurisdictions,” said Colonel Hall. “By sharing strategies, resources, and expertise, we strengthen our ability to solve cases that have remained open for years. It’s through collaboration, persistence, and innovation that we can bring justice and closure to victims and their families.”
Over two days, participants received training and briefings on critical topics including:
- International victim and offender location strategies (U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security)
- Updates in forensic capabilities, including emerging lab tools
- Working more effectively with victim families and navigating trauma-informed communication
- Investigative genetic genealogy and its application in cold cases (FBI)
- Forensic anthropology and unidentified remains
- Major case reviews, including the prosecution of Eric Windhurst and the closure of the Judith Lord homicide
The summit concluded with an inter-agency roundtable, focused on enhancing cooperation between local, state, and federal agencies across jurisdictional lines.
Senior Assistant Attorney General R. Christopher Knowles, Chief of the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit, emphasized the purpose of the gathering: “Cold case work requires persistence, specialized expertise, and teamwork. Bringing Northern New England’s investigators together ensures that no case is pursued in isolation and that we are using every available resource to pursue justice.”