Northeastern Ontario cold cases continue to vex police

Police services around the northeast are grappling with high numbers of cold cases that include homicides and missing persons files — some dating back years.

North Bay detective constable Dave Wilson said his organization has 13 missing persons cases and one unsolved murder on the books. 

And, "when you take into consideration that that is North Bay city police alone, if you add in the Ontario Provincial Police missing persons as well, that almost doubles," he said.

In the rest of the region, Sault Ste Marie has seven historical missing and homicide files, Timmins has nine, and in Sudbury staff sergeant Jordan Buchanan told CBC News there are about 10 missing persons cases and a handful of unsolved homicides.

A criminologist and former police officer said a study across Canada and the US shows crime is dropping, but more cases are "going unsolved, in spite of things like DNA [evidence]."

"That's not a reflection, I think, of poor police work as much as it is a more systemic issue," said Mike Arntfield, who looks at cold cases as part of his work at the University of Western Ontario.

Police services often don't have as much time and money as they have had in the past, he noted — and that strains resources required to keep investigations going.

Buchanan said in 1999, he was the first designated missing persons investigator in Sudbury.

He told CBC News about two cases that remain unsolved: in 1978 when Pamela Rousseau was last seen at her Lloyd Street apartment, and in 1980 when Sandra Cook's body was found in her home.

"They are memorable cases when you become involved in one as an investigator," he said.

"You don't generally forget the cases. You may forget the little details, but the cases themselves stay with you."