Solving cold cases, NJ State Police detective steps up (Opinion)

My friend Detective Sgt. 1st Class Joe Itri is today's #BlueFriday honoree.

Joe and I have been in touch since I addressed an event at Princeton University a couple years ago that Joe had organized for homicide investigators from across the nation.

He is now heading up the cold case unit for the NJ State Police. Last year he was interviewed about some of the great work the unit did solving a case from 1986. The case involved identifying a woman killed and buried in a gravesite, unidentified until a few detectives including Joe got on the case.

Here's an excerpt from Joe's interview with KYW News Radio:

"I just think it speaks to society at large. We're a society that doesn't forget these things. They don't just get completely left to the side and never looked at again," New Jersey State Police Det. Sgt. Jospeh Itri said of the case.

I'm looking forward to having Joe on our Speaking Podcast to discuss cold cases in New Jersey and what the public can do to help solve mysteries to bring families of victims closure, even after decades have passed.

I'm happy to recognize Joe as another hero of Law Enforcement stepping up to help families in our state. He's gonna have some wild stories for you coming up...stay tuned for the first episode dropping in a couple weeks!