"A centralized State Cold Case Unit would create a system that is sustainable and would promote development of methodologies that meet the quality standards required to support reliability, validity, and accreditation that are required by Texas law; all of which provide high confidence for the stakeholders and the public of Texas."

- Dr. Bruce Budowle, Director, Human Center for Identification
The University of North Texas Health Science Center 

"Almost 30 years have passed since the unspeakable and brutal murders of four teenage girls at a local yogurt shop in Austin. To this day we do not know who is responsible. Sadly, this case is not the only one unsolved in Texas, in fact over 19 thousand cases of homicides remain unsolved. Creating a Cold Case Unit will equip our state law enforcement officers with the tools they need to thoroughly investigate unsolved cases."

- Congressman Michael McCaul, (TX-10) Republican Leader House Foreign Affairs Committee 

 "Creating a dedicated cold case unit within the Attorney General’s Office of Texas with subject-matter expert investigators and special prosecutors demonstrates the agency’s long-term commitment to the victims of unsolved homicides and long-term missing persons and unidentified remains cases. Offering assistance to Texas counties with fewer resources will lead to greater case solvability and restore community trust and faith in our criminal justice system."

- Ron Lara, Sgt. Austin Police Department (Ret.)
Homicide/Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit, (2004-2020)

"If such a task force as the Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit was in place back in 1991, we might have had answers years ago as to what happened to our beloved Amy. We would not have had different prosecutors coming and going, and several sets of detectives leaving us for retirement, transfers, and promotions only to have someone new start over every couple of years. As family members who have been through 30 years of not having resolution to such a horrific and tragic event, (the Yogurt Shop Murders/Austin, Texas), we do not want other families to have the same experience that we have had to go through with the criminal justice system. We need a statewide unit to assist other agencies with solving cold cases to bring justice and closure to families throughout Texas."

- Shawn and Angie Ayers, Stephenville, Texas
Crime Victim Advocates 

"Hundreds of murderers remain at large, most unidentified and, likely, still active in their destruction. Hundreds of thousands of family members and friends remain tormented due to unanswered questions. Due to huge advancements in DNA and automation technology we, now more than ever, have an opportunity and an obligation to from law enforcement, private and public partnerships such as the Texas OAG-Cold Case Unit to solve these cases."

- Sadie Darnell, Alachua County (FL) Sheriff, (Ret.), 2006-2020
Chair, Florida Sheriffs Association's Cold Case Advisory Commission (2015-2020) 

"I believe The Texas Attorney General’s Office, Cold Case & Missing Persons Unit, is a much welcomed and needed partner in assisting Texas law enforcement agencies, large and small, and Texas prosecutors charged with the difficult task of investigating and prosecuting the hundreds of unresolved, but not forgotten, homicide cold cases and missing person cases throughout the Great State of Texas."

- Billy Belk, Sgt., Houston Police Department (Ret.), (1977-2009)
Homicide Division (22 years), Cold Case Unit (2002-2006)