Solve Cold Cases from Home: Citizen Detective Training PDF
TheColdCases.com introduces Cold Case Citizen Detective Training
🕵️♀️ Solve Cold Cases at Home: Introducing Our New Citizen Detective Training PDF
💻 By TheColdCases.com | Available Now for $20
💡 What If You Could Help Solve a Cold Case... From Home?
Every unsolved murder, disappearance, or unidentified body represents not just a mystery—but a human life cut short and a family still waiting for answers. While law enforcement agencies are often overwhelmed with new crimes, cold cases can sit ignored for years, even decades.
But what if you could help?
Not as a police officer.
Not as a private investigator.
But as a citizen detective. 🧠🔎
At TheColdCases.com, we believe that truth doesn’t belong to any one institution—and that ordinary people with compassion and curiosity can play a vital role in keeping cases alive.
That’s why we’ve created our brand-new, in-depth, 10-chapter PDF guide:
🕵️♂️ How to Investigate a Cold Case From Home
Now available for just $20 – for both subscribers and non-subscribers
📘 What’s Inside the Guide?
This isn’t some shallow list of tips.
It’s a comprehensive, emotionally grounded, professionally formatted training tool designed to teach you how to research, analyze, and engage with cold cases responsibly, legally, and ethically.
This guide is ideal for:
💻 True crime fans who want to do more than just listen or read
📂 Advocates fighting for justice in overlooked communities
🧠 People curious about cold case methods, FOIA, forensic genealogy, and more
✍️ Writers, journalists, or bloggers researching cold cases
🔍 Here’s What You’ll Learn in 10 Deep-Dive Chapters:
1. 📖 Introduction
What is a cold case?
Why are so many still unsolved?
Who are citizen detectives—and why are they changing the future of justice?
You’ll learn how your efforts fit into a bigger mission that extends beyond any single case.
2. 🧠 Building a Research Mindset
Critical thinking & emotional neutrality
Understanding your motivation: justice, curiosity, or advocacy?
How to stay trauma-informed while working with difficult content
Creating and organizing your digital case file
🧘 This chapter keeps you grounded and sharp as you take your first steps into the world of investigative research.
3. 🌐 Using Online Resources for Case Research
News archives like Newspapers.com and Google News 📰
Finding obituaries and cemetery records ⚰️
Tracking social media activity (Facebook, Reddit, Instagram) 📱
Case forums like Websleuths and Reddit’s r/UnresolvedMysteries
Using Google Earth & OnX maps to visualize events 🗺️
You'll gain pro-level skills to hunt down leads, verify details, and connect dots using tools already at your fingertips.
4. 📂 Requesting Public Records the Right Way
FOIA basics (federal & state level) 🏛️
What you can and can’t legally ask for 📑
Sample FOIA letter templates to copy/paste ✉️
State-by-state public record laws 📍
With our templates, you’ll be filing requests like a pro—without stepping on legal landmines.
5. 👣 Conducting Timelines, Timelines, Timelines
How to reconstruct accurate case timelines ⏱
Red flags to spot: gaps, contradictions, shifting stories 🚩
Tools to use: Timeline JS, spreadsheets, or even pen and paper 🖊️
This is where cold cases start to warm up—one date, one detail at a time.
6. 🗣️ Contacting Key People (Ethically)
When (and when not) to contact victims’ families 💔
How to respectfully email journalists, researchers, or detectives 📬
What to say—and what NEVER to say 🙊
Sample email scripts included
Empathy and boundaries are the name of the game in this chapter.
7. 🧬 Understanding Modern Tools: DNA, Genealogy, & Geofencing
How forensic genealogy solved the Golden State Killer case 🧪
The role of GEDmatch & FamilyTreeDNA in today’s investigations 🧬
Cell tower pings, Ring doorbell cams, Google data—oh my! 📱🛰️
A fascinating look into the science that’s reshaping justice in real time.
8. ⚖️ Staying Legal and Ethical
Avoiding defamation, harassment, or stalking charges ⚠️
Mental health red flags while working on intense cases 🧠
When to walk away for your own well-being 🚪
This chapter protects you—from both burnout and legal risks.
9. 💡 Publishing & Sharing Your Findings
Starting a blog or Substack ✍️
Posting responsibly in forums like Reddit or Websleuths 🌐
When to share leads with law enforcement—and how to do it the right way 👮♀️
Working with journalists and podcasters 🤝
Sharing your research can make a difference—but only if you do it wisely.
10. 📚 Templates, Tools, and Resources
FOIA request templates
Interview and timeline worksheets
Spreadsheet formats
Our top book, blog, and podcast recommendations 📘🎙️
We’re setting you up for success—with every document and download you need.
🔐 Bonus: A Lifetime Skillset
This PDF isn’t just for one case.
It gives you a system you can apply to every cold case you ever study.
And for just $20, you’re getting:
10 chapters
25+ tools and templates
Real-world examples
No fluff—just practical, actionable content
✅ Yours to download, keep, and reference forever.
✅ For both subscribers and non-subscribers of TheColdCases.com
💸 Why We’re Charging $20
We poured hundreds of hours of experience, formatting, research, and ethical review into this guide.
This isn't a quick blog post.
It’s a real, educational tool that reflects years of cold case insight—formatted for clarity and built for impact.
Your purchase also:
💗 Supports the work of ethical, independent journalism
🔎 Funds future investigations and FOIA requests
📢 Helps amplify awareness for forgotten victims
We believe in affordable education with a purpose—not paywalls for profit. That’s why this resource is offered to everyone for the same flat fee.
🎯 Ready to Download?
✅ Grab your copy now:
You'll receive:
An instant, downloadable PDF
Editable versions of all included templates
Lifetime access + free future updates
💬 What Others Are Saying:
🗣️ “This guide helped me build my first case timeline. I didn’t think I had what it took until I saw how clearly everything was explained.” – Ashley T., New Jersey
🗣️ “I used the FOIA template in the guide and received my first case file two weeks later. It felt like I unlocked something that had been buried for years.” – Devon M., Arizona
🗣️ “TheColdCases.com always handles things with empathy and purpose. This guide is no exception. It’s a must for anyone who cares about the unsolved.” – Maya B., Oregon
🕯️ Cold Cases Need People Like You
This guide won’t turn you into a detective overnight.
But it will give you the skills, awareness, and confidence to begin your journey as a responsible, informed citizen investigator.
Because every cold case is a call to action.
And now—you’re ready to answer it.
💳 Available Now – $20
No subscription required. No recurring fees. Just one powerful guide.
🎯 Download your copy today →