cold case

American  

[kohld keys] / ˈkoʊld ˈkeɪs /

noun

1. a criminal investigation that has remained unsolved for an extended period of time.

   This year's award recipient is a state trooper whose work helped close a cold case from 1983.

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Etymology

Origin of cold case

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

"This prosecution and conviction some 27 years on from the original investigation shows the importance of cold case reviews and exploiting advances in technology," he said.

From BBC

Last week, the Nanterre cold case unit launched a broader investigation into Pelicot's "criminal trajectories" to identify other possible crimes and victims.

From Barron's

In August, Netflix announced the series starring Matthew Goode cold case department leader DCI Carl Morck would return for a second season.

From BBC

The breakthrough comes just weeks after the release of the HBO docuseries The Yogurt Shop Murders last month, which revisited the cold case.

From Salon

Since then he’s been an executive producer on “Cover Me,” “Cold Case,” “The Agency” and “New Amsterdam,” among other series.

From Los Angeles Times