Cold case bill enacted in Senate
Measure to be sent to Governor LePage
AUGUSTA – In a unanimous “under the hammer” vote, the Senate enacted a measure to create a cold case homicide unit in the Attorney General’s Office to investigate unsolved homicides.
“Victims’ families need closure; they deserve to know what happened to their loved ones and to have the perpetrators brought to justice,” said Senator Linda Valentino, the Senate Chair of the Judiciary Committee. “Investing in a cold case homicide unit will not only bring closure to the families, but also send a strong message that Maine will never give up on these cases until justice is done.”
Maine has 120 cold cases dating back to 1953, including the murder of Ashley Ouellette 15 years ago. Ouellette was a 15-year-old from Saco who was found dead in Scarborough on Feb. 10, 1999. Police suspect she was strangled, but her murder has never been solved.
“Despite pressure to water down the bill, the Judiciary Committee worked hard to keep the bill strong,” said Senator Valentino. “The families who have waited so long for justice deserve access to the best cold case unit we can provide.”
The U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice is accepting grant applications for up to $300,000. Maine’s Attorney General, Janet Mills, is working with Congressman Mike Michaud to apply for this grant. Governor LePage has also expressed support for the grant application. If the application is successful, this grant could fund nearly all of the $430,000 price tag of the state’s new cold case unit.
The Judiciary Committee unanimously recommended the bill, LD 1734, “An Act to Create a Cold Case Homicide Unit in the Department of the Attorney General,” and it was unanimously approved in the House. The measure is sponsored by Representative Stanley and will now be sent to Governor LePage.
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