Narrative Essay about Cold Cases
Introduction
I have always been fascinated by cold cases. Studying and reviewing actual crime cases is something I am passionate about, and the majority of the cases I have researched, however little, makes me think in terms of “what if.”Perhaps it is because I am obsessed with investigative movies like CSI that portray criminal masterminds who nearly escape the investigation. As you can guess, crime thrillers are my favourite movie genre with an extra investigative element. Cold cases make me think hypothetically and view the world from a different perspective. I have found it effective to look at the situation from both sides, the law, and the criminal. When we think of cold cases, does it mean that the criminals outwit the law and are smarter than the law, or is the law simply ineffective in solving crimes?
In my research, I have found that some of the criminals are indeed smarter than the law. Their criminal mind-orientation provides them with the necessary knowledge to go around the law and get their way, sometimes, sadly, at the cost of others. Regardless, the ingenuity of criminals is what fascinates me in cold cases and how inventive they can be in hiding evidence and covering their tracks. However, this is not to say that I intend to become a criminal. I value a free life and respect the law. But, respecting the law has nothing to do with my passion for unsolved cases. Cold cases enable me to think for myself, piece evidence together, and come up with possible conclusions that may or may not be factual. Nonetheless, I find reviewing actual cold cases captivating, and to me, it is more than a hobby.
Every day I look at apartments surrounding me, wondering what goes inside, what conflicts there are, and what secrets people hide behind their black windows. Doing this makes me reflect on most people’s misconceived ideas that others possess the same values as they. That, no one in their right mind would do to another what they would dread to be done to them. That, regardless of the provocation, no one would result in violence unless in an attempt to protect themselves. Such notions attribute to the belief that people close to us cannot result in a crime. Then, one morning, we wake up only to be dismayed by the numerous crimes that have occurred around us. Unfortunately, to us, sometimes, the perpetrators of such cold acts are people we are related to. It, therefore, becomes hard to comprehend why people who might have seemed innocent and clear-minded to us would do acts so terrible as to attract the media. While thinking about this, what happens when such people escape after committing gruesome crimes undeserving of forgiveness? Certainly, the afflicted party feels devastated, and their need to seek justice increases. Such alignment of thoughts is what led my fascination with cold cases, attempting to solve unsolvable crimes if only to get peace of mind and getting a thrill while at it.
One of the fascinating cold cases to me was the one on “Jack the Ripper.”It is said that the mysterious murderer killed five different prostitutes, all found within a mile of each other. Their throats were slashed ear to ear. Though this case is from 1888 Whitechapel, London, it is one of my favourite cold cases. The crime in itself is indeed inhumane, but the ability of “Jack the Ripper” to die with his secret portrays creativity. Lead investigators speculated that the killer was left-handed, speculation I concur with since the victims were slaughtered from right to left. The consistency and precise nature of the cuts suggest a professional, either a butcher or a surgeon. Based on his specific targets, it is clear that the killer hated prostitutes. To my understanding, the killer was someone of pious nature—a self-righteous person who saw prostitutes as abominations and the epitome of moral degradation. Given the period, prostitution was an unaccepted “profession” at the time, and as such, some may have viewed his acts as just to the society. Perhaps some provided him with protection, concealing his identity from the law after “doing what was necessary.”
The case on “Jack the Ripper” is one of the few that illustrate my enthusiasm for cold cases. As shown, cold cases make me think outside the box, piecing out evidence based on facts about the time and society the crime occurred. Not to go ahead of myself, but I believe that this could make me a detective. Perhaps I am destined to solve a crime that had escaped authorities and shed light on cases that have often been dismissed owing to lack of evidence. Certainly, I would be honoured to have brought the truth to the light, however late it might seem. Rest assured, my interest in cold cases is not popularity-oriented. It comes out of the need to know the truth of why and how something happened. I have always craved the truth. It does not rest well with me, knowing that someone has escaped punishment after doing some of the world’s worst crimes. I believe that criminals, however inhumane they might seem do make errors as any person would. Therefore, there are clues that, when pieced together, would provide a conclusive answer as to what happened and why it happened. My persuasion of the truth originates from my honest nature and belief injustice. Therefore, solving cold crimes fulfils my desire to seek justice for all afflicted by criminalist individualistic acts.
I presume that my interest in cold cases lies far beyond shedding light on dismissed cases and bringing the light to the world. Perhaps into goes further into my desire to develop new methods of investigation which could help solve the mysteries of the closed cases and assist in new investigation too. It has always bothered me that the growing numbers of unsolved cases are increasing by the day. Developing new methods of investigation may arouse the desire of others intrigued by unsolved cases, just like me, to reopen the unsolved cases. It may lead to the solving of quite several cases left unsolved. While I am not naive to the fact that some of the cold cases will forever remain a mystery, I have always been sure that some could be by developing new methods of investigation. Criminals thrive on ingenuity and innovative ideas to go around and escape tIt is my belief that the same strategy is the key to solving a cold case.
When I think of a case like that of Jack the Reaper, I always wonder what might have aided his escape from the law. Most people are always quick to argue that technology, or rather lack of it, is the reason why cases such as Jack the Reaper were able to evade justice. But then again, even with so much use of technology in modern-day crime investigations, cases still get closed unsolved. Perhaps this confirms that criminals are indeed sometimes smarter than the law. What we all seem to forget is that criminals will also use the same technology to their advantage in committing crimes and evading justice. This has always made me wonder on whose side technology is on, the law or the criminals? I presume that with or without technology, it all comes down to the same issue when speaking about the unsolved case. The issue is that of the law and the criminals outwitting each other.
I have always tried to think outside the box in trying to understand cold cases. I have always wondered whether to blame the law or society in general. One has to consider the possibility that community is perhaps the biggest contributor to unsolved cases. Most often than not, criminals do not work or live alone, and they have friends and family. Sometimes, people protect criminals because they are people that they love by helping them hide evidence and cover their tracks. I have watched a crime thriller film where a killer used the help of his friend, a mortician, to hide the bodies of his victims by cremation. Looking at it from this perspective has made me consider the fact that maybe the issue here is not about the criminals being smarter than the law but the witnesses failing to come out and volunteer the truth to investigators. Perhaps it is not about the law is ineffective, but the society in general failing to do its part in helping solve crimes.
Conclusion
Cold cases are the ultimate human dramas. They are the real-life depictions of fictitious movies and films. Moreover, to me, they are one of the terrifying horror stories. When it comes to fiction, they are people’s speculations of what would happen, attempting to depict the human condition. However, cold cases are the speculations brought to life. It is, therefore, understandable why cold cases are such a fascination to me and why it means so much for me to solve some of them. Cold cases speak to me differently, offering a new perspective to the human condition. They reveal the harsh truth of life in what we hope might not be but is. I am sure that my feeling concerning the topic aligns with most people’s fears, which they are afraid to confront. Such reflections incite feelings of curiosity and need to view cold cases afresh. What if the victim was someone related to me? As such, empathy further increases my fascination with cold cases. Perhaps it is paranoia. Regardless, cold cases remain to be an intriguing subject to me that might impact my career path.