ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Police say it’s a big help against an unsolved cold case murder; A series of videos and podcasts have been posted online that the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) is bringing back, after a year-long hiatus. News 13 spoke with APD officials to get a first look at the relaunch of their Duke City case file.
“What we’ve learned from listening and listening to so many of our families who have been victims of homicide—surviving parents, siblings, grown children—is that they still want to understand, ‘What are you? Still looking at the death of my loved one?’” APD Criminal Investigation Division Commander Kyle Hartsock said, “’Do you still think? Remember who they are? Um, you know, are they a person or a case to you?’ And they taught us that. And out of that conversation comes this series that reminds them, ‘Oh we remember, we care.’
The series was called the ‘Duke City Case Files.’ Beginning in 2021, six episodes and two podcasts told the stories of Albuquerque cold case murder victims that the department needed help solving.
“A cold case means we have no more leads to follow-up on. reasonable leads,” says Hartsock. He likens investigating a case to looking at a bunch of doors — each one, a lead to follow. “Have we turned all the doorknobs? Have we done our best to follow those leads? And once Once we’re done, that case goes cold,” Hartsock said. This series was born out of a desire to ‘build more doors’, AKA get the public’s help to bring in new leads.
“Like Monsters Inc., right? Like, bring me a door, let me open it,” Hartsock said; and hopefully, finally, solve those cold cases. So far, the series has a good track record. As a result, four cold case murders were solved.
“I attribute it entirely to the Duke City case file, and here’s why: When some of them produced leads and something didn’t happen, what happened was, the case needed a review,” Hartsock said. This means more eyes in the department reviewing the case internally and creating more awareness in the community.
Victim Liaison Manager Terry Huertz, who works with families of these victims, said it gives them hope that their loved ones will not be forgotten.
“They’re very grateful that their story is getting back out there and hoping that someone in the community will see this story and someone in the community will come forward and share some information that could change everything for them,” Huertz said. Not even realizing it, it could just change the whole case, change the whole investigation and bring peace to a family that really needs it and deserves it.”
The series will resume on Monday, focusing on the case of Brittany Ramirez.
It will be available on all APD social media sites, their websiteAnd then YouTube. Hartsock said the primary way they will take tips is through Crime Stoppers.
