With a population of around 88,000, Champaign, Illinois can be considered a medium-sized city. Although there have been no major crimes committed in Champaign, the city has had its share of missing persons and homicides that have gone unsolved. Some of these incidents stretch back to the 1980s, but they still leave families and friends with unanswered questions and unsettling doubts. You may learn more about the frequency and severity of these cases in Champaign by looking at the data below.
There have been roughly 90 killings in Champaign since 1980, with an annual average of about 2. Although while this figure is smaller than in some of our nation's larger cities, it has just as great an effect on local families and businesses. Over 20% of these cases have yet to be solved, leaving countless people without closure.
Solving cold cases might be difficult because of a lack of tangible evidence and credible eyewitnesses. Several of these crimes happened in remote places where eyewitnesses are scarce, making it challenging for detectives to locate and question prospective witnesses. It may also be difficult for detectives to identify and locate potential suspects in cases where victims or witnesses have passed away or relocated.
The absence of funds set aside to investigate cold cases is another obstacle. Due to manpower and resource constraints, Champaign police detectives frequently take on cold case investigations on top of their regular workload. A result of this is that it might be challenging for detectives to give cold cases the attention they need.
Champaign's police have overcome these obstacles and made headway in solving some of the city's cold cases. The government has been using more cutting-edge methods, such DNA testing and forensic analysis, to reexamine historical material in recent years. In certain instances, investigators have been able to make significant headway thanks to new leads or technological advancements, resulting in arrests and convictions.