Old Crimes Are Not Forgotten

The steady decline in the Orange County homicide rate in recent years made this week’s double killing in Irvine even more shocking. Police are pressing their investigation of the stabbings of two music instructors in their condominium, aware that solving a crime gets more difficult with the passage of time.

The problems involved in unraveling old murders can be seen in the work of the Countywide Law Enforcement Unsolved Element program in the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. CLUE, which began operations two years ago, made its first arrest only this month.

Despite the difficulties, continued police attempts to solve past crimes are necessary. Fairness and justice demand them. Victims’ loved ones are among those who benefit. It’s sad and painful to go months or years without knowing who killed a husband or daughter.

County and federal funds have paid for CLUE, which includes two detectives, a crime analyst and an assistant. There are more than 100 cases to be reviewed.

As time passes, memories grow more faint and witnesses move away. But police say that occasionally people, either witnesses or criminals, want to unburden themselves after living with secrets a long time.

That happened this month, police said. After receiving a tip on a suspect a year ago, police tracked him down and obtained a confession. The murder, in Lake Forest, occurred eight years ago.

New technology, especially DNA analysis, also has helped solve old crimes. But shoe leather and a willingness to dig through old files and interview witnesses again are important to seeing that justice is done.