Cold Case Tips Coming In After Deck Of Cards Makes Debut

Decks of cards featuring unsolved murder cases from across the state are already generating tips. The cards were released into Oklahoma prisons last month.

These cards were released into state prisons in hopes that some of the prisoners could shed some light on the crimes. 

However, in an unexpected twist, OSBI told News 9, the tips are coming from the public.

Each day, OSBI features one of 52 cases on both their Facebook page and Twitter.

They said social media is a powerful tool that's helping to generate interest in cases that have gone cold.

"We ask that people get on our Facebook and share this information because the power of that getting out to thousands of people and we believe there are people out there that have information about these cases, they just need to come forward and now is the time to do that," OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said.

And while the tips aren't coming from the prisons just yet, investigators said they're just glad they're coming in.

"At the end of the day, we don't care where that tip comes from as long as it's a good tip. It's a viable tip and it's something we can break the case open with," Brown said.

While social media has helped generate public interest, in some of these cases dating as far back as 1978, Brown said it's not uncommon for tips to surface years, even decades after the crime.

"It's interesting why someone would come forward 10, 20 years later, but what we have found out is that sometimes, people's relationships change. They get a divorce or they're no longer with that person, so that person feels more comfortable to come forward," Brown said.

OSBI said the public is asking where they can buy their own set of cards.  

Unfortunately, they're only for sale inside the prisons for now.