Cold Case Murder Squad
Cole, beginning in January of 1997, was one of the first SAPD detectives to receive assignments to investigate murder cases that were considered “cold.” A “Cold Case Murder Squad” did not exist at that time. Cole found that investigators often failed to interview significant witnesses or examine critical evidence that could provide different theories and even different suspects. He learned that successful cold case investigation required challenging everything, including crime scene documentations, witness statements and especially prior investigative assumptions. The lessons led Cole to identify, locate and interview a dismissed witness from a fourteen-year-old murder case. The witness provided statements with sufficient information for a Grand Jury Indictment of two defendants.
Later, Cole supervised the detectives assigned to the Cold Case Murder squad and coordinated their activities with the cold case volunteers. The process successfully resolved several cold case murders, some of which are recorded on the SAPD Website.
About Jim Cole
Licensed Private Investigator Jim Cole opened J‧Cole Investigations, PLLC, after dedicating 39 years to public service in law enforcement. A decorated and highly trained officer, his experiences include assignments in high-priority units as a Homicide Murder Detective, an Internal Affairs Sergeant and Homicide Murder Sergeant for the San Antonio Police Department, an organization employing over 1,500 officers.
Cole honorably retired from SAPD after 26 years, but he also served other communities as a Detective, Criminal Investigation Division Commander (Lieutenant) where he also conducted employment background investigations, a Captain that oversaw the Investigations Division, and finally as a Chief of Police.