Things to do in Cases When There's No News

BeanE

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Things to do in Cases When There's No News:
Last updated: Monday, May 17, 2010

- Go back through threads and collect what you think are the top ten most important links in the case, make a list of them, and post them. These lists would be great for both those familiar with the case, as well as people new to the case.

- If there's no timeline for the case, create one and post it, or begin one that others could add to. Find the most recent timeline, update it, and post it. If an existing timeline doesn't need updating, check to see if it's been posted within the last three pages of the most recent thread, and if not, go ahead and post it again for people new to the case to read.

- Write up your own recap of the story of the case and post it. Great for people who are new to the case, plus you get to give a voice to the victim.

- Go back and collect the known facts of the case, along with their source links, and post them. If you don't have time to collect all of them, just do whatever you have time for, and ask for others to add to it.

- Write up your own theory of what happened in the case and post it. Great to get others thinking about and posting on the case, and bring attention to it.

- Find a picture of the victim that hasn't been posted for a while, and post it so there's always a face to put with the victim's name, reminding people that the victim is a real person.

- Research to see if there's an updated missing poster and post it or link to it so it can be printed and distributed.

- Find the most recent map(s) of significant locations, update them if necessary, or just post the list of links if it hasn't been posted in the last few pages. If there's already a map created with one tool, create one with another tool that might give a different perspective. Maps can be created with Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/), Bing (http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH7), and other online tools.

- Check Google News or Interceder (http://interceder.net/) for the most recent news story, and post it with a note that it's the most recent story on the case.

- See if there's a candle lighting site for the victim. If so, light a candle and post the link. If not, create a site, light a candle, and post the link so others can light candles. http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm?l=ENG

- Humanize the victim - see if you can find some of the victim's favorite things, make a list, and post them. Did you find the victim's favorite song? See if you can find the lyrics, and post a link to them. Did you find the victim's favorite place to go? See if you can find a website for it, or a link to it on Google Maps or Bing.com, and link to them.

- Write up a recap of the victim's story, or a particular aspect of the case that interests or puzzles you, in your very own unique way, and post it.

- Write up a Myth Buster! Do you know of a rumor or misinformation that's made the rounds in the case and has always bugged you? Look up the source links for the real facts, and bust the myth!

- Find all the Nancy Grace transcripts for all the shows about the case, make a list of the links, and post them. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ng.html

- Start a list of direct quotes from LE, along with the date stated, and link to source. Post it and ask others to contribute to it.

- Is there a certain news video or press conference that you and others are constantly listening to to determine what was said? Transcribe it and post it for reference.

- Make a Who's Who list of the people in the case, with their full name so they can be searched for easily, and what their role or relationship is to the case. Use initials only though, when appropriate per TOS.

- Make a list of the news websites that have been covering the case regularly, collect their URLs, and post it.

- For cases where there are general discussion threads instead of a forum, check to see if important information and links have been brought forward from previous threads, such as timeline, case recap, list of news websites, photo archives, candle lighting site for the victim, etc. Post the ones that haven't been brought forward yet.

- Add to this list of things to do and re-post it. Please send me your ideas too!

Thanks!
BeanE
 
Bringing this over, with thanks to BeanE - it has loads of good tips on how to handle cold cases.

This forum needs more archival material (i.e. old news stories, pictures, etc), so that would be a great place to start.
 
Also, here's a few I do to keep feeling like I'm doing something:

- I continue to blog about the case, encourage others to do so, and occasionally send reminders about the case to news orgs, asking for updates or new comments from LE - this usually results in not much, but it requires little effort - I just hit the "reply" email at the end of the old articles.

- Keep posting to the family support threads to let them know we have not forgotten.

- Keep on bumping those threads!


ETA:

- Add the forum/thread link to your siggy, to get fresh eyes to your case.

- Continue to mark special occasions - birthdays or the anniversary of the disappearance if the case sadly takes that long - and email news orgs when these occasions come up - they are often happy to recap the case in a small article on the victim's b'day or the anniversary of when they were last seen, which can bring some new air to the case.
 
Some more ideas from BeanE:

- Start a list of the names of all the LE agencies involved in the case, and post a list of the agency names, websites, phone number, and email address. Find the official tipline number and post that at the top of the list!

- It's always helpful to have the most recent statements from LE handy. Direct quotes are better than what a reporter or someone else says that LE stated. Find the most recent quotes from LE on the status of the case, and post them with a link to the source, and the date LE said them. Note the name of the police department or agency the LE officer is with, and their name. Having that name handy helps when searching for other LE statements.

- Figure out the counties involved in the case, and post the county names and links to their websites. This is helpful to people looking up, for example, the county clerk's office for information on obtaining public records.

- Look up the websites for any jails or prisons in which perps are housed, and post the names and links.

- See if there's a support website set up by family or friends and post the link.

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104854"]Things to Do in a New Case or When There's No News - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]
 

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