Cold Case Homicide Division
The Cold Case Homicide Division promotes public safety by working with local law enforcement to resolve unsolved homicides within San Diego County. The division maintains close working relationships with law enforcement agencies including police laboratory criminalists. These relationships are key to solving and successfully prosecuting cases where the trail has gone cold for years.
Time is the enemy in any homicide investigation. The suspect has the lead
and in some cold cases, that lead can be measured in years or even decades.
Closing in on murder suspects and solving cold cases not only delivers
long-awaited justice, but also brings a measure of closure to families
whose lives have been shattered by tragedy.
Since it was established in 2003, the Cold Case Homicide Division has solved numerous unsolved murders. The victims have come from all walks of life and from all areas of the county. Their ages have ranged from children to the elderly. While the majority of cold cases handled by the division occurred in the 1980’s and 1990’s, some cases have dated back to the 1970’s, the earliest being 1971.
Last year, cold case prosecutors took five cold homicide cases to trial. Among those tried and convicted were Leon Johnson who in 1975, raped and murdered 25-year-old Angeline Borrayo. Mark Jernigan was also brought to justice for the 1986 savage murder of June George.
In addition to handling cases in which charges were already filed, the division reviewed several other unsolved homicides.
