NORFOLK, Va. — Every day on the air and online, 13News Now reports on police investigations as they happen. However, when there are no leads left, some cases go cold or unsolved for years.
Detectives look for fresh ways to reach a resolution, while family members are desperate for answers. T'La Shabazz of Norfolk is searching for her missing sister, Tawanda Hill, who would be 41 years old in the present day. Hill also went by "Moonlight" or "Tye."
"It's been difficult, it's been really difficult," T'La Shabazz of Norfolk said tearfully.
She continued: "She was one of those people that when she entered a room, you just knew. She had the brightest smile."
Shabazz also said her sister was pregnant, expecting her third child at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen in late 2009 or early 2010 in the Bruce's Park neighborhood of Norfolk, near Booker T. Washington High School.
"She had mental illness, so she would disappear from time to time," Shabazz said. "It would be kind of normal for her to go without necessarily seeing the family, but she would always send cards and reach out."
When the cards stopped coming and Hill didn't reach out, family members grew worried.
Over the years, relatives have stayed persistent keeping her name and face in the public eye. They passed out flyers and shared posts on social media.
"It's turmoil. I'm always looking over my shoulder. I'm always trying to go to places where I know she used to hang out," Shabazz said.
A Norfolk Police Department public information officer said there are no updates in Hill's case. She's still considered a missing person. So, the investigation continues.
Like in Norfolk, detectives in Virginia Beach work to solve cold cases.
"We go with a cold case depending on several different factors. But ultimately, it will come down to when the police department and the investigators have exhausted all leads," said Lt. Rachel Wigand with the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD).
At VBPD, a dedicated unit focuses year-round on cracking unsolved investigations of homicides, sexual assaults, missing persons, and unidentified remains.
Wigand said the public plays a huge role.
"We regularly get tips and we reinvestigate, re-interview, and confirm whether those tips are valid or not. All of them," Wigand said.
Investigators also use advances in technology for DNA hits and to aid a process of elimination. Other factors like extra training could introduce new ideas for a case.
"We do get really attached to these cases, because we want to solve it, do what's right and hold the person accountable," Wigand said.
Law enforcement shares the quest for closure with concerned family members.
"If she's out there, we just want to know that she's OK. And if not, we just want to put this to rest as best we can," Shabazz said.
If you know anything that can help police investigators with Hill's or any case, call the Crime Line at 1-888-562-5887. On that number, you don't have to give your name. You can also send anonymous tips online using P3 Tips.