Cold Case Coalition

09/30/2026

As Cold Case Month wraps up, we want to acknowledge our many volunteers who show up diligently every month for cold cases. You are the absolute best. Your dedication and your outside-the-box thinking amaze us every single day. Thank you!

This month we saw what real collaboration between our cold case teams and law enforcement can do: a confession, a case closed, and answers for a family who waited far too long. That's what this work is all about.

We don’t always get to see those kind of answers, but it’s SO good when we do.

Four new case review teams launched this month and CCC awarded DNA funding for three new cases. This is slow, tedious work but it matters. 💙

08/11/2026

OUR NEW BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER! Cold Case Help: An Amateur Investigator's Guide (2d Ed.) is for non-law enforcement wanting to look into a cold case - family members, podcasters, researchers, etc. Sellers carrying the book include:

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cold-Case-Help-An-Amateur-Investigator-apos-s-Guide-2D-Ed-Paperback-9781476659893/19858111285

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/cold-case-help/?srsltid=AfmBOopOtswE_FJHwHdSkrSfGXnyV76nDHwBsnC9eZM-fodwpbhwYdzH

Amazon: https://a.co/d/07pL6YO3

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-case-help-karra-porter/1149642059?ean=9781476659893

BooksAMillion: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Cold-Case-Help/Karra-Porter/9781476659893

Cold Case Help: An Amateur Investigator's Guide, 2d ed.

08/04/2026

James Wallace Petersen III recently pled guilty to the murder of Theresa Morelock in 1993. Petersen was in Salt Lake City for the NBA All-Star Game when he asphyxiated Theresa. Our laboratory, Intermountain Forensics, and genealogists identified Petersen as a person of interest through advanced DNA sequencing. DNA is so critical to resolving these cold cases!

07/21/2026

MISSING: Darrel B. Nichols (Park City, UT)

April marks 53 years since the disappearance of Darrel Nichols. Darrel was 19 years old when he vanished from Park City, Utah, around April 1, 1973. He was last seen possibly heading into the hills of Park City with unknown friends, and he has never been heard from again.

Despite a local newspaper article seeking information shortly after he went missing, very few details or physical evidence have ever been recovered. His exact last movements and the identity of the companions he may have been with remain unknown. For over five decades, Darrel’s case has remained a mystery, but the search for answers continues.

At the time of his disappearance, Darrel was described as 5'9" tall, weighing between 160–165 lbs., with short-cut brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue parka, Levis, and boots, and he wears distinct horn-rimmed eyeglasses. Today, Darrel would be 72 years old.

Darrel is an endangered missing person who deserves to be found, and his family deserves answers.

👉 If you have any information at all about his disappearance, who he was with that day, or his whereabouts, no tip is too small. Please contact the Park City Police Department at (435) 615-5500 (Case Number: 02-46069), the CCC anonymous Tip Line: 385-CLUE-313 (385-258-3313) OR message us here on FB.

07/17/2026

Seeking Information on a Decades-Old Case:

In June 1969, Fontella Galloway was viciously attacked in her home in Roosevelt, UT. Her attacker tried 3 different windows before prying open a fourth with a shovel. Her body was found 3 days later.

With the passage of time, we understand that those who may have known her, lived nearby, or heard details at the time were likely very young and today may be reflecting on memories from long ago.

We are gently asking for help from anyone who may have:
• Known her or her family
• Lived in the area during that time
• Attended school, church, or community events where she may have been known
• Heard conversations, stories, or rumors over the years that have stayed with you

We recognize that memories from so long ago may feel uncertain or incomplete but even small details or recollections could be meaningful.

👉 You can contact Roosevelt PD directly at 435-722-2330, call the CCC Anonymous Tipline at 385-CLUE-313 (385-258-3313) OR message us on FB.

Sharing this post may help us reach someone who remembers something important.

06/05/2026

It was an honor to provide funding for Identifinders International as they assisted King County Medical Examiner's Office with this identification of James Daniel Reed. Great work everyone!

We are very happy to Identify James Daniel Reed and make it possible for the King County Office of the Medical Examiner return James' remains to his family. Thanks to Cold Case Coalition and Gray Hughes Investigates for funding this case.

05/29/2026

Proud to have contributed to this family finally learning what happened to their loved one, who went missing in Tucson in 1975.

Investigators collected evidence at the scene but could not identify the remains and could only determine they belonged to a male.

05/19/2026

BIG NEWS! Pre-order is now open for the 2nd Edition of our book COLD CASE HELP, https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/Cold-Case-Help/ Twice the content! Personal stories! Guidance for families, podcasters, and other non-law enforcement investigating cold cases. (P.S. Yeah, there's a typo on the image - it won't be on the final cover.)

05/01/2026

Utahns - visit us at the Davis County Pride Festival Saturday, Layton Commons Park! Tell us about your case! Learn about our programs and successes! (Need a free speaker for your group? Message us!)

04/27/2026

We’d like to take a moment to recognize one of our Board Members, Nicole Roach Four years ago, while attending Illinois State University, she launched an online advocacy effort for Carol Rofstad, a student who was tragically murdered on campus in 1975. Her case remains unsolved.

This month, Carol’s family was presented with her degree, and a memorial bench was unveiled in her honor.

We’re grateful to Nicole—and to all those who continue to keep cold cases like Carol’s at the forefront—ensuring they are never forgotten.