Solving Cold Cases: AI Helps Catch Killer After 11 Years

A long-awaited breakthrough happened in a cold case from 2014. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office made an arrest in the murder of seven-year-old Terrez Coleman. This arrest came after a decade of hard work and new technology. In 2014, Terrez was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting on Prescott Road. The only clues were shell casings and a blurry photo from a security camera. This was not enough to find the killer. The investigation was tough and slow. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux vowed to keep pursuing the case, no matter how many dead ends they hit. It was a long and frustrating process. For years, detectives followed up on countless tips, but none led to a solid suspect. In 2017, a small break came when a gun was found in a car driven by Rashad Turner. This gun matched the shell casings from the crime scene. However, the gun had been reported stolen, so it wasn't enough evidence for an arrest. The case went cold again. Then, in February 2025, a new tool called CyberCheck changed everything.

CyberCheck is a smart system that uses a person's digital footprint to track their movements. It's like a digital detective that can piece together where someone was during a crime. In this case, CyberCheck used Turner's email and phone records to place him near the shooting scene. This was the missing piece of the puzzle. Turner was a college student at the time of the shooting. He had previously been in trouble for having the stolen gun but only served a short jail sentence. Now, with the new evidence from CyberCheck, Turner was finally arrested for Terrez's murder. The sheriff's office never gave up on this case. They kept working, even when it seemed hopeless. This shows how technology can help solve old crimes and bring justice to victims and their families. It also highlights the importance of persistence in law enforcement. The case of Terrez Coleman is a reminder that even when justice seems far away, it can still be found.

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