ACADIA PARISH, La. (KLFY) — Investigations that go unsolved can turn into cold cases and leave loved ones with more questions than answers. For law enforcement agencies, solving those types of cases can take years. News 10 talks with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office about a few cases they’re investigating.

When it comes to actively working cold cases, the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office says its main goal is not only to solve them but also to provide closure for the families.

“We want these cases solved. We want closure for these families.”

Acadia Parish Sheriff KP Gibson says although open and being worked, a cold case is not worked daily as an active investigation is, or a case that has just happened. He says as they’re being worked, assistance from the public or someone who knows something could help get the case solved sooner, this is why his office puts out crime stoppers.

“From time to time, on Crime Stoppers, we will run a cold case. I’m just trying to say that somebody might be out there who just said to me, and I was worried, or I didn’t want to say anything,” said Gibson. “And look, Crime Stoppers gives them an avenue that you don’t have to say your name.”

Gibson says there have been several cases in his office that are unsolved because of the lack of information on how the incident occurred. He says the oldest open cold case his office has recorded is an unsolved case from 2001 where a bar near Branch was on fire, and the body of the bar’s owner was found inside. Another cold case, one of the victims in the Jennings eight case, was found in Acadia Parish.

“We have one of the Jennings eight cases that was established before my administration, where one of the bodies was found in Acadia Parish just a mile or so outside of Jeff Davis Parish,” said Gibson.

Gibson says his office believes one person, or if not a specific person, one group of people, was involved in the killing of eight different women.

“That’s one that just kind of sits with you, and I don’t know how a serial killer just stops. And usually, that either tells you want one or two things,” said Gibson. “Either the person is deceased or incarcerated. So that’s what our goal now is in those cases, working with authorities in Jeff Davis Parish, just as much as they do, we do also want to make sure that those cases, all for those families.”

He says when it comes to cold cases, the hardest part for him is knowing that there are families who want justice for their family member who’s been killed. That’s why he encourages families looking for answers to continue reaching out to law enforcement for updates.

“As a family member of a person who was killed in a cold case,” he said. “You need to stay involved. I mean, I know it’s not going to be an everyday or every week update because cases kind of over time, as they become cold cases, they get worked on, but just not daily. If it were me and I had a family member, I would be calling periodically and checking on the case.”

The Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office says anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 337-789-TIPS.

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