Kinston Police Department partners with volunteer to tackle cold cases
The Kinston Police Department is taking a new approach to solving cold cases by enlisting the help of a dedicated volunteer. Amanda Denise, a former journalist and criminal justice graduate, has joined KPD’s efforts to bring fresh eyes to unsolved homicides, a move Chief Keith Goyette says could help uncover long-overlooked details.
Amanda Denise, photo from KPD Facebook page
Denise, who previously worked for WCTI, has a deep-rooted interest in criminal investigations. After attending KPD’s Citizens Police Academy two years ago, she left journalism to focus on crime analysis. She now runs a cold case podcast and attends investigative seminars, even teaching at one.
“She doesn’t have police experience, but she’s got the knowledge, the passion, and the drive,” Goyette said. “She’s out there attending seminars, learning everything she can. She’s already brought things to our attention that we hadn’t seen before.”
KPD has made strides in tackling cold cases over the years. When Goyette first returned to investigations in 2017, he was asked to take on the department’s growing backlog of unsolved homicides. In three years, his team solved four or five cases, a foundation later built upon by successive investigators.
As KPD worked through these cases, the department realized it needed a structured approach. Over the past year, KPD established a dedicated cold case room, a space where detectives and now Denise can easily access case files, review evidence, and develop leads.
“When you walk in, there’s a desk in the middle, file cabinets along the walls,” Goyette said. “You can pull out a case, sit down, and start working on it right there. It’s a place where we can focus on these cases that still need answers.”
Despite these efforts, staffing shortages remain a challenge. Goyette hopes to secure a grant this summer to fund a full-time cold case investigator, but until then, the department is making the most of the resources available—including volunteer help.
Since joining KPD, Denise has already provided valuable insights. One of her first cases involved reviewing old body-worn camera footage from a homicide. She noticed a crucial detail: a now-deceased suspect had made an utterance that could point to his involvement.
“We had interviewed him at the time, but he had an alibi,” Goyette said. “Now that he’s gone, we’re looking into his family, trying to find out if there’s anything they know. She caught something we had previously overlooked.”
Sergeant Brian Biggins believes Denise’s role could also help KPD gain information from witnesses who may have been reluctant to talk to law enforcement.
“There are people out there who don’t want to talk to us because we’re police officers,” Biggins said. “But they might be willing to talk to her. If she can open that door, even just a little, that could be the difference between a case staying cold and getting solved.”
Right now, Denise is the only volunteer assisting with cold cases, but Goyette said that could change.
“We’ve had people reach out, wanting to help,” he said. “But we want to see how this works first. It has to be the right person, for the right reasons. This isn’t a hobby—it’s about justice for victims and their families.”
KPD currently has 14 unsolved homicides from 2000 to the present, along with older cases from the 1980s and ’90s. While solving decades-old crimes is difficult, Goyette said it’s far from impossible.
“Every violent crime, especially murder, is never closed,” he said. “We may have to put the book on the shelf for a while, but it’s always waiting for someone to pick it back up. That’s what we’re doing—picking it back up and not giving up.”
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