Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program
The Texas Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program (UCIP) was created on Sept. 1, 2001, by the 77th Texas Legislature. The program’s primary objective is to provide Texas law enforcement agencies with a process for investigating unsolved murders or what appear to be serial or linked criminal transactions. Since there is no statute of limitations on the offense of murder, the state has the moral and statutory obligation to pursue these cases to a successful resolution; or until no other viable lead remains. Law enforcement must devote every effort to fully investigate these crimes for the victims and their families.
With those efforts in mind, the Texas Rangers’ Cold Case website was created to assist in establishing further investigative leads in such cases. The website, although not all encompassing, provides information on more than 140 unsolved or cold cases in an effort to garner public interest. These cold cases are separate from missing or unidentified persons cases. To provide information related to a missing or unidentified persons case, please visit DPS’ Missing Persons Clearinghouse (MPCH) webpage.
Funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office Texas Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $3,000 to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of the person/persons responsible for a cold case listed on the Texas Rangers website.
To be eligible for cash rewards for these cases, tipsters MUST provide information to authorities using one of these two methods:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Submit a tip online through this link only—select “Cold Cases Featured” and “Cold Case” in the type of crime and offense type sections.
All tips are anonymous. Tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name. However, if you wish to be contacted by the Texas Rangers regarding a case, please provide your name and contact information when submitting a tip.
Featured Texas Rangers Cold Cases
As part of a DPS public awareness program, one case from the Texas Ranger UCIP is be featured bi-monthly (every other month) in an effort to generate new investigative leads and bring attention to unsolved homicides or cold cases. Texas Crime Stoppers rewards are increased up to $6,000 for featured cases in hopes of generating additional tips. The higher reward amount will only be paid if the tip is submitted before the next cold case is announced.
To be eligible for cash rewards for these cases, tipsters MUST provide information to authorities using one of these two methods:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Submit a tip online through this link only—select “Cold Cases Featured” and “Cold Case” in the type of crime and offense type sections.
All tips are anonymous. Tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name. However, if you wish to be contacted by the Texas Rangers regarding a case, please provide your name and contact information when submitting a tip.
The current featured Texas Ranger cold case can be found, here: Texas Rangers’ Cold Case website