Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird held a press conference at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on June 18, 2024, announcing the creation of the cold case unit within the AG’s office. (Photo courtesy of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office)
Attorney General Brenna Bird has announced the creation of a cold case unit within the state attorney general’s office to investigate unsolved murders in Iowa.
At a news conference at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, Bird said the new unit, which will officially launch July 1, will consist of three full-time investigators and a prosecutor dedicated to solving more than 400 unsolved murders in Iowa. Staff will work with local law enforcement agencies where the cases originated to provide a new perspective and “find answers for families,” according to a news release.
Bird, who served her first term as attorney general after defeating longtime Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller in 2022, said she made it a priority to build a cold case unit as she campaigned for the office. She thanked the state Legislature for “providing the budget to make this possible,” and said the new team would focus on “pursuing new leads” in unsolved murder investigations.
“My promise to the families of cold case victims in Iowa is this: We will never give up, we will never stop searching and we will never lose hope,” Bird said. “If even one case is solved, it will all be worth it. No one should get away with murder.”
Steve Ponsetto, a retired Division of Criminal Investigation agent and state trooper, will be in charge of the unit. He said investigators will be tasked with investigating homicides, missing persons and cases involving unidentified human remains in cases where local law enforcement agencies have reached a dead end, according to reporting from Radio Iowa.
“Justice for the victims, answers for families, accountability for the perpetrator – these are the goals of this cold case initiative,” he said.
Iowans are encouraged to contact Bird’s office if they have any information about cold cases. Tips can be submitted by emailing coldcase@ag.iowa.gov or calling the office at 1-800-242-5100.
The post Attorney General Brenna Bird Announces New Cold Cases Unit appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
