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The Maui News
The Maui Police Department has established a dedicated Cold Case Detail that will focus primarily on unsolved homicides and missing person cases, MPD announced Tuesday.
In the months after the devastating Aug. 8 wildfire in Lahaina, MPD has been working to document missing people caught in or displaced by the fire. Initially, thousands of individuals were reported missing. MPD, the FBI, the Red Cross and other agencies worked together to compile lists of missing people, verify names, contact family members and take DNA samples in hopes of reuniting missing people with their families as well as identifying victims.
The list of missing people has now been reduced to four, MPD said.
The Cold Case Detail, also known as Charlie Detail, is comprised of highly experienced investigators who will continue to look into the remaining cases from the August wildfire and reinvestigate all available evidence, MPD said. The team will use the latest investigative and forensic techniques to identify new leads and information from cold cases and open missing person reports.
"Our goal is to bring closure to the families affected by these unsolved crimes and ensure that justice is served by holding perpetrators accountable," Police Chief John Pelletier said in a news release Tuesday. "We believe that in addition to solving these cases, this detail will help build and maintain trust between our department and the community we serve."
MPD encourages the community to come forward with any information or leads related to unsolved homicides or missing person cases. To report information, contact the Cold Case Detail at coldcase@mpd.net or (808) 270-5575.