'Groundbreaking initiative:' NKU students help sheriff's office solve cold cases

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky — Six students at Northern Kentucky University were chosen to partner with the Boone County Sheriff's Office to participate in a “groundbreaking initiative to solve cold cases,” according to a press release from NKU.

Each student was enrolled in JUS 494: Cold Case Investigationa criminal justice class at the university, and was hand-selected to help the sheriff's office's cold case unit as a part of the course, NKU said.

“The Boone County Sheriff's Office is the only law enforcement agency in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with a full-time cold case unit,” Sheriff Michael Helmig said. “This collaboration with NKU reaffirms our commitment to each victim's family that their loved one's case will not be forgotten.”

NKU said each student was selected for the following reasons:

• Academic excellence
• Integrity
• Critical thinking skills
• Passion for criminal justice

The chosen students worked with investigators with BCSO to “provide a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective for the BCSO's cold case unit,” NKU said.

As a part of the initiative, the students did the following:

• Reviewed homicide cases
• Read the case documents
• Looked over taped interviews
• Presented their recommendations to the cold case unit

According to the press release, students gained real-world experience while helping the sheriff's office solve cold cases.

“This collaboration is an unprecedented opportunity for our students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-life situations,” Dr. Melissa Moon, professor of criminal justice at NKU, said. “It also demonstrates NKU's commitment to community service and fostering the next generation of criminal justice professionals.”