CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As the year comes to a close, 2021 proved to be another busy year for Coastal Bend homicide detectives.
The Corpus Christi Police Department worked around the clock to investigate and solve several murders. According to authorities all of the homicides that happened this past year have been 100% solved.
This year 28 homicides that were investigated, with each one ending with a closed case.
One case that shocked the community, involved a young woman at just 20-years-old who was discovered at the scene of her crashed vehicle back in November. The investigation lead to the arrest of the suspected shooter.
The case was just one of the 28 homicide investigations detectives with CCPD's Robbery Homicide unit, such as Lieutenant Bryan Hager were up against this year.
"100% this year we have solvability," Hager said. "We either have a warrant for the suspect in those cases, or the suspect is in jail."
Hager adds that the cases couldn't have been solved without the hard work of the department's detectives and their investigating.
"They don't stop, don't go home, even when the sun goes down," Hager said. "Work long hours, they don't go home for 24-48 hours at times."
A breakdown of the solved cases goes as listed.
21- Cases were deemed felonious in nature.
4- Cases were officer involved shootings that were deemed justifiable.
2- Cases involved traffic related offenses.
Hager adds that one had special circumstances that caused it's counting to roll over into this year.
"One of those was a justifiable shooting from the previous year," Hager said. "The suspect in that case passed away this year, so it went on our reporting."
While Hager acknowledges that the detectives worked hard in solving the cases, he said that having help from the community also played a part in solving the cases as well.
"All 21 we've investigated this year have been either brought to light by video, or by our public stepping up," Hager said. "They've all been influenced by the public, we've gotten lots of great tips, followed to the end and get arrests made."
Hager added that his work is far from completed. He is still working to bring previous unsolved cases to closure.
Those cases include the 2016 shooting death of 19 year old Colton Cavazos. Another case is the murders of Gary and Stephanie Gillette that dates back to the 1980s.
Its been 36 years since the crime and still their killer has not been brought to justice.
"If it happened now, it would be solved in no time," Hager said. "Back then we didn't have DNA, now more tactics, better trained, and I just believe its a solvable case. With the right person coming forward it can be solved."
Detectives are hoping that a new year will bring new evidence to solve those previous unsolved crimes.
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