Overview

It’s only a cold case if we give up working on it.‍

Cold cases don’t close themselves — and the investigators who crack them share four defining traits: Grit, Curiosity, Confidence, and Humility. Cold case investigators are the ones who know how to start over with fresh eyes and sharper tools. This 16-hour intensive course equips detectives, investigators, and law enforcement personnel with a proven, systematic process for re-opening, re-examining, and resolving cases where the leads have run dry.

Whether your agency is facing an unsolved homicide from a decade ago, a missing persons case that stalled, or a felony sexual assault that never went to trial — this course gives you the framework, the forensic updates, and the hands-on experience to move those cases forward.

This isn’t just a cold case course. It makes you a better investigator, period.

What You Will Learn

In this course, students will define what constitutes a cold case and understand why cases go cold in the first place. They will learn how to form, staff, and manage a cold case unit — and how to evaluate cases for solvability and prioritize investigative resources effectively. Students will master the complete cold case investigative process from initial case review through to resolution, applying current forensic science including DNA analysis and forensic genealogy along the way. The course also prepares investigators to navigate the complex legal and evidentiary challenges unique to cold cases, and puts everything into practice by working an actual cold case file through a realistic simulated investigation.

Who Should Attend

This course is built for any law enforcement or investigative professional who wants to become a sharper, more effective investigator — not just those currently assigned to cold cases. If you investigate homicides, robberies, sexual assaults, or missing persons — and you want to be better at it — this course is for you.

This course is essential for:

Homicide detectives and investigators
Missing persons investigators
Sexual assault investigators
Robbery investigators and general felony detectives
Death investigation investigators
Patrol officers and supervisors involved in serious cases
Any investigator assigned to — or considering — cold case work
Any investigator who wants to level up their skills and work smarter on every case they carry

If you have a serious case that isn’t solved and the leads have gone cold — this course was built for you.

Seminar Highlights

Legal Issues Specific to Cold Cases — statute of limitations, evolving case law, interrogation law
Investigative Steps — a structured, proven process for re-opening and working a cold case from start to resolution
Forensic Evidence — trace evidence, firearms, DNA, scene re-examination, and the latest forensic tools
DNA & Forensic Genealogy — the game-changing technologies now solving cases that are decades old
Missing Persons & No-Body Cases — specialized investigative techniques, forensic anthropology, and forensic dentistry

Outside Resources — leveraging experts, databases, and investigative partners you may not know exist
Re-Interviews — how to approach original witnesses, family members, friends, and suspects with a fresh strategy
Case Studies — real solved cold cases used throughout the course to reinforce every key concept
Simulated Investigation — hands-on group exercise working an actual cold case file to build an investigative plan

Course Agenda

Instructors

Mike Gaynor

Death Investigation | Cold Case Instructor

View Bio

Mike Gaynor

Michael Gaynor started his law enforcement career with the Daly City Police Department in 1979. In 1982 he transferred to the San Francisco Police Department, where he retired in 2010 as an Inspector assigned to homicide. Michael currently works at the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office in the Cold Case unit. His past assignments include Crime Scene Investigation, Robbery Investigations, Domestic Violence Detail, General Works Detail (person crimes), and Homicide Investigations. Michael has lectured on Death Investigation, Homicide Investigation, Crime Scene Reconstruction, Crime Scene Investigation, Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Crime Scene Photography, and Officer Involved Shooting Investigations. He holds Bachelor and Master degrees from San Jose State University in Administration of Justice.

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“What I liked best were the videos, and the information regarding Miranda was especially valuable. This class is awesome — I think you need to push very hard to make SJPD make this interview and interrogation course mandatory for officers and detectives around the 3+ year mark. Preliminary investigations would be so much more successful and beneficial to BOI investigators. This is an excellent course.”

“What I liked best were the Miranda scenarios and discussions. The Instructors are professionals who have more combined experience than most agencies. They are passionate about this subject and make the course and material fun. I feel like you could take this class 100 times and still learn something new each time.”

“Matt and Will are some of the best instructors I've had the opportunity to train with: genuine, forthright, concise, and they can back it all up with experience. My second course with them, and I can't wait for a third!”

“What I liked best was the wide variety of fraud-related examples and the proper procedures for investigating them — and it was not Death by PowerPoint. This course is perfect for new detectives and patrol officers wanting to learn more about fraud investigations.”

“What I liked best was watching real-life videos (body cams) and determining what, if any, warrants could be issued. I also found it very helpful that the instructor was very patient and very willing to help with writing the practice warrants. I really enjoyed his positive attitude in teaching new officers like myself how to write a warrant effectively by using the Hobbs.”

“Your class was one of the most impactful trainings I've attended. I learned new skills, best practices, and had a few revelations about myself. Your level of preparation, commitment, and professionalism was excellent.”

Investigative Interviewing

A foundational interview system built for any case, any subject, and any investigative industry, giving officers the mindset and skills to get to the truth.