{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/52-34.16.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/52-34.16.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/52-34.16.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/52-34.16.html"}],"law_id":59049,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59049,"structure_id":15492,"section_number":"52-34.16","catch_line":"Cold case searchable database established","history":"2020, c. 1127, \u00a7 52-34.13.","full_text":"A\n\nAs used in this section, “cold case” means an investigation into a homicide, missing person, or unidentified person case that has remained unsolved for at least five years after the crime occurred, the person went missing, or the unidentified body was found, whichever occurred last.B\n\nThe Superintendent of State Police shall establish and maintain a searchable electronic database of cold cases to assist law-enforcement agencies in the development of information leading to the identification and arrest of persons who may have committed the crimes or to persons who may have relevant information to solve the case. Such database shall be available to the public through the Department of State Police official website.C\n\nThe searchable electronic database shall include (i) the category of cold case and, in the case of a homicide or missing person, the name of the victim or missing person, unless disclosure is prohibited or restricted by § 19.2-11.2; (ii) the location where the crime was committed, where the person was last seen, or where the body was found, if known; (iii) the date and time the crime occurred, the person was last seen, or the body was found, if known; (iv) the name and contact information of the investigating law-enforcement agency; (v) a brief summary of the crime or case; and (vi) any other information that the investigating law-enforcement agency determines is appropriate. The Department of State Police and submitting law-enforcement agencies shall have the discretion to withhold such information, in whole or in part, from the database (a) as they deem necessary for investigative purposes, protection of privacy, or any other lawful reason or (b) upon request of the victim’s or missing person’s next of kin.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":216549,"text":"As used in this section, “cold case” means an investigation into a homicide, missing person, or unidentified person case that has remained unsolved for at least five years after the crime occurred, the person went missing, or the unidentified body was found, whichever occurred last.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":216550,"text":"The Superintendent of State Police shall establish and maintain a searchable electronic database of cold cases to assist law-enforcement agencies in the development of information leading to the identification and arrest of persons who may have committed the crimes or to persons who may have relevant information to solve the case. Such database shall be available to the public through the Department of State Police official website.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":216551,"text":"The searchable electronic database shall include (i) the category of cold case and, in the case of a homicide or missing person, the name of the victim or missing person, unless disclosure is prohibited or restricted by § 19.2-11.2; (ii) the location where the crime was committed, where the person was last seen, or where the body was found, if known; (iii) the date and time the crime occurred, the person was last seen, or the body was found, if known; (iv) the name and contact information of the investigating law-enforcement agency; (v) a brief summary of the crime or case; and (vi) any other information that the investigating law-enforcement agency determines is appropriate. The Department of State Police and submitting law-enforcement agencies shall have the discretion to withhold such information, in whole or in part, from the database (a) as they deem necessary for investigative purposes, protection of privacy, or any other lawful reason or (b) upon request of the victim’s or missing person’s next of kin.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15492,"edition_id":1,"name":"Cold Case Searchable Database","identifier":"7.6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12841,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:55:32","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:55:32","permalink":{"id":237541,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15492,"identifier":"7.6","token":"52\/7.6","url":"\/52\/7.6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12841,"edition_id":1,"name":"Police (State)","identifier":"52","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","permalink":{"id":237127,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12841,"identifier":"52","token":"52","url":"\/52\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":59049,"structure_id":15492,"section_number":"52-34.16","catch_line":"Cold case searchable database established","url":"\/52-34.16\/","token":"52\/7.6\/52-34.16","metadata":false}],"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/52-34.16\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 1127<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":81173,"section_number":"19.2-11.2","catch_line":"Crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information; exceptions; testimonial privilege","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-11.2\/"}],"permalink":{"id":237543,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59049,"identifier":"52-34.16","token":"52\/7.6\/52-34.16","url":"\/52-34.16\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/52-34.16\/","token":"52\/7.6\/52-34.16","dublin_core":{"Title":"Cold case searchable database established","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 52-34.16","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> As used in this section, “cold case<\/span>” means an investigation into a homicide<\/span>, missing person, or unidentified person case that has remained unsolved for at least five years after the crime<\/span> occurred, the person went missing, or the unidentified body was found, whichever occurred last. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Superintendent of State Police shall establish and maintain a searchable electronic database of cold cases<\/span> to assist law<\/span>-enforcement agencies in the development of information leading to the identification and arrest<\/span> of persons who may have committed the crimes<\/span> or to persons who may have relevant information to solve the case. Such database shall be available to the public through the Department of State Police official website. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The searchable electronic database shall include (i) the category of cold case<\/span> and, in the case of a homicide<\/span> or missing person, the name of the victim or missing person, unless disclosure is prohibited or restricted by § 19.2-11.2<\/a>; (ii) the location where the crime<\/span> was committed, where the person was last seen, or where the body was found, if known; (iii) the date and time the crime<\/span> occurred, the person was last seen, or the body was found, if known; (iv) the name and contact information of the investigating law<\/span>-enforcement agency; (v) a brief<\/span> summary of the crime<\/span> or case; and (vi) any other information that the investigating law<\/span>-enforcement agency determines is appropriate. The Department of State Police and submitting law<\/span>-enforcement agencies shall have the discretion to withhold such information, in whole or in part, from the database (a) as they deem necessary for investigative purposes, protection of privacy, or any other lawful reason or (b) upon request of the victim’s or missing person’s next of kin. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOLD CASE SEARCHABLE DATABASE ESTABLISHED (\u00a7 52-34.16)\n\nA. As used in this section, “cold case” means an investigation into\na homicide, missing person, or unidentified person case that has remained\nunsolved for at least five years after the crime occurred, the person went\nmissing, or the unidentified body was found, whichever occurred last.\n\nB. The Superintendent of State Police shall establish and maintain a searchable\nelectronic database of cold cases to assist law-enforcement agencies in the\ndevelopment of information leading to the identification and arrest of persons\nwho may have committed the crimes or to persons who may have relevant\ninformation to solve the case. Such database shall be available to the public\nthrough the Department of State Police official website.\n\nC. The searchable electronic database shall include (i) the category of cold\ncase and, in the case of a homicide or missing person, the name of the victim or\nmissing person, unless disclosure is prohibited or restricted by §\n19.2-11.2; (ii) the location where the crime was committed, where the person was\nlast seen, or where the body was found, if known; (iii) the date and time the\ncrime occurred, the person was last seen, or the body was found, if known; (iv)\nthe name and contact information of the investigating law-enforcement agency;\n(v) a brief summary of the crime or case; and (vi) any other information that\nthe investigating law-enforcement agency determines is appropriate. The\nDepartment of State Police and submitting law-enforcement agencies shall have\nthe discretion to withhold such information, in whole or in part, from the\ndatabase (a) as they deem necessary for investigative purposes, protection of\nprivacy, or any other lawful reason or (b) upon request of the victim’s or\nmissing person’s next of kin.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, c. 1127, \u00a7 52-34.13.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}