Omaha local authorities are currently working on resolving about 400 cold cases, the first case dating back to the 1960s

OMAHA, Nebraska  — For Buffy Bush, sister of Jameila Hesseltine, eleven years have not erased the pain of her loss.

Hesseltine was slain at 20th Street and Commercial Avenue in September 2011. Bush stated that Hesseltine’s two children discovered her body.

Bush stated, “Every day is a challenge for me.” “She is remembered and missed.”

The Omaha Police Department has been working on over 400 cold cases dating back to the 1960s.

In September of this year, the OPD is bringing awareness to the victims and keeping their tales in the public eye.

“We place our hope in each day. Lt. Nicholas Andrews of the OPD Homicide Unit stated, “perhaps by publishing this material and having media outlets discuss it, we can obtain information that could help us solve one of these cases.”

Tips from the public are not sufficient to solve these instances. Significant technical advancements are also having an impact.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa is examining twelve cold cases from the 1960s to the middle of the 2000s. Recently, a cold case was solved using modern DNA technology.

A crime scene technician with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office stated, “There was a hit on a suspect, and within a few months, an arrest was made and a case was established.”

All of this, together with police work, can take years or even decades to uncover breaks, according to law enforcement.

“There are many moving parts,” stated Kava. “There are numerous puzzle pieces, and cooperation is an essential piece.”

Bush stated that everyone plays a role in solving these problems.

She stated, “We know our murderers haven’t forgotten, but let’s hope those surrounding them haven’t either.”

Each day of September on the OPD’s cold case calendar for the month of September features the tale of a victim of a cold case.

Anyone with information about a cold case is urged by police to submit it through the Crimestoppers website. For information that could crack a case, users can stay anonymous and could get up to $25,000 in prize money.