Tag: COLD

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East Bay Times

Man accused in two 1979 Monterey County homicides cannot be charged due to mental illness

Jurn Norris, 69, formerly from Marina, has been identified as the perpetrator in the killings of Helga DeShon and Uicha Malgieri, both young military spouses slain in their apartments in 1979. According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, they have not been able to file charges against Norris because he is incompetent to stand trial due to severe mental illness. In 2016, Marina Police Department conducted a review of unsolved homicides that had occurred in the city. Advancements in technology allowed detectives to submit evidence again and they had the opportunity to re-interview witnesses. The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office determined that sufficient evidence existed to establish Norris’s identity as the perpetrator of the murders and charges would be filed if he were mentally competent to stand trial. The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Task Force received a $535,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice back in January 2022. The grant, titled Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA, provides funding to support forensic testing and investigative cold cases where DNA from a suspect has been identified.
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Forensics TTA

FY2024 Solicitation Webinar – Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

This webinar, presented by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), features an overview of the FY2024 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program solicitation. As part of this presentation, BJA discusses various elements of the solicitation, changes that have been implemented from previous iterations of the program, eligibility requirements, and guidance for submitting an application.
Forensics TTA

FY2023 Grantee Orientation Webinar – Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

This webinar features the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Forensics TTA teams welcoming FY2023 grantees of the Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program. BJA Policy and Program staff provide a brief overview of the grant program, provide examples of allowable activities that fall within guidelines of the grant, and address questions or concerns from attendees. During the webinar, presenters overview the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and BJA, highlight details and specifics of the COLD program, provide updates relevant for FY2023 grantees, discuss the roles and functionality of the BJA Programs and Operations teams, and introduce the Forensics TTA team.