Fairfax County Police Department Takes Fresh Look at Cold Cases

The Fairfax County Police Department has launched a new webpage to help investigate cold cases in Fairfax County.

The platform houses case information spanning six decades in the hope that anyone with information will come forward to help resolve cases. Cold case detectives are asking the public to provide any information about the cases — no matter how small. The website currently provides a limited list of cases. More cases will be added as detectives comb through existing incidents.

“We are committing countless hours and all available resources to close these cases and provide long-awaited answers to victims’ families, and bring those who committed these awful crimes to justice,” said Major Ed O’Carroll, bureau commander of major crimes.

FCPD is seeking information on several local cold cases, which are included on the webpage. Cases are disaggregated by decade and include a description of the incident, a photo, and the date of the incident.

On January 1, 1996, Constance Hiner was found dead in her home on Woodstock Lane in Herndon. The 48-year-old woman was found with injuries to her upper body.

In Great Falls, Richard Brackeen, 53, was found shot to death in his home on River Park Drive. The incident happened on February 5, 1992.

In 1972, the body of 17-year-old Gwen Ann Ames was found on a walking path in the area of 11400 block of Waterview Cluster near Lake Anne. She had decided to walk home alone after attending a party with her friends and boyfriend.

See below on how to provide information about the cases:

Anyone with information regarding any of our cold cases is asked to contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 8. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), by text – Type “FCCS” plus tip to 847411, and by web – Click HERE. Download our Mobile tip411 App “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 dollars if their information leads to an arrest.

The cold case squad was founded in 1995 and is housed under FCPD’s major crimes bureau. It investigates unresolved homicides and sex crimes in Fairfax County.

Photo via Bill Oxford/Unsplash