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Cold case information put on on playing cards in VA, distributed to inmates and community to help solve crimes

Playing cards for cold cases.jpg
Posted at 1:18 PM, Aug 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-12 18:29:56-04

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. – An initiative to help solve cold cases could be coming to Hampton Roads.

On Thursday in Richmond, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced that playing cards to help close unsolved homicides have been distributed to inmates within the Richmond City Justice Center for recreational use.

The Attorney General partnered with the Richmond Sheriff’s Office, Richmond Police Department, Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and Crime Stoppers to launch this project.

His office tells News 3, “Currently, they are only Richmond cold cases, but we are looking to expand the program to include other localities in the future.”

This effort has been done in other parts of the U.S. and years ago in Hampton Roads. A representative for the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office says they have given out similar playing cards in the past and would consider doing it again. The Norfolk Sheriff's Office says this effort would be in-line with its mission and if it participated, it would be in conjunction with the Norfolk Police Department.

According to the Attorney General’s office, the cards currently being distributed in the Richmond area feature unsolved homicide cases. Others say they may soon feature cases of missing Virginians.