This story has again surfaced in local media, as part of a larger context. Here is a paste from an article in yesterday's World Herald:
Now the Nebraska State Patrol is hoping that using playing cards to highlight unsolved murders will bring justice to dozens of families.
The State Patrol on Tuesday released its first edition of cold-case homicide playing cards, using the photographs of victims to call attention to unsolved or suspected homicides in Nebraska that date as far back as 41 years.
The oldest case is the slaying of 17-year-old Mary Heese of Wahoo. Her body was found in a ditch southwest of Wahoo on March 25, 1969. That case is on the jack of clubs.
But some of the featured homicides occurred as recently as 2008. That's when 11-year-old Tom Hunter and his family's 57-year-old maid, Shirlee Sherman, were slain in a Omaha's Dundee area. Their photos are featured on two cards.
Patrol officials said about 20 states have used cold-case playing cards to generate new tips.
Two unsolved murders in Florida were solved two years ago after 100,000 decks of such cards were distributed to prisons in that state.
Nebraska is distributing 1,000 decks featuring 43 cold cases to inmates of state prisons and 22 county jails, according to Sgt. Glenn Elwell of the patrol's investigative services division.
They may well know someone or something, he said.
Decks of cards are not being distributed to the general public, although the images can be viewed on the patrol's website,
www.statepatrol.nebraska.gov/ColdCase.aspx.
That is to avoid any suggestion that the cold-case cards are some kind of novelty, Elwell said. Families of the homicide victims featured on the cards granted permission to include their relatives' cases, he said.
Brad Waite, a brother of Shirlee Sherman, said his family is totally supportive. The cards, Waite said, might prompt inmates to talk about the March 13, 2008, homicides in a Dundee home.
It sure as heck can't hurt, he said. These playing cards might jog someone's memory.
Elwell said no information is too minor to forward to authorities.
It may be something you consider ridiculous, he said, but that could be the very information that could put us over the top in solving these crimes.
Cases involving child victims are featured on more than one card, Elwell said.
Local law enforcement agencies were consulted on which cold cases to feature. There are about 250 unsolved murders across the state, and Elwell said the goal is to feature all of them on cards if funding is available.
The playing card idea was suggested by the State Patrol's cold-case analyst, Kimberly Van Den Akker. Her position and the $3,100 cost of the initial playing cards were funded by a federal grant.
Tips about cold cases can be submitted by calling 877-441-5678 or by sending an e-mail to
[email protected].
Contact the writer:
402-473-9584,
[email protected]
I am told that these card decks will also be distributed for use in the state penal system. You have to wonder if this isn't some attempt to induce someone in prison with knowledge to start talking?
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