The U.S. has one of the lowest clearance rates — the percentage of open homicide cases that end in prosecution — in the industrialized world.
The rates are often worse in communities of color and neighborhoods with rampant gun violence. In St. Louis, for example, Black people represent the vast majority of people killed in the city each year. Yet between 2014 and 2023, police solved fewer than half of the killings involving Black victims compared to nearly two-thirds of cases involving White ones, an investigation by STLPR, APM Reports and The Marshall Project found.
Community trust in the police can make a difference in which cases police close. Community members being willing to come forward as witnesses or deliver anonymous tips can help police move their investigations along. And for many families, knowing how an investigation is progressing often provides a sense of comfort during an otherwise devastating time.
But in many Black, Latino or low-income neighborhoods, trust in the police is rare. Several families in St. Louis, who are still waiting for justice after the killing of a loved one, told The Marshall Project – St. Louis that poor communication from law enforcement during homicide investigations only deepened suspicions of police misconduct.
Even though families and community members are vital to resolving homicides, most don’t have the opportunity to explain how they’d like to be engaged. In this guide, the families of five homicide victims in St. Louis shared what they want police to know about investigating killings in their community. Their guidance offers a lesson for departments across the country looking to improve community relations and clear cases.
Break the news with empathy.
Give families time to process, and be prepared for their reaction. Whether they are shocked, outraged, or shattered by grief, aim to respond in kindness and with patience.
Be mindful: You’re going to deliver the worst news possible to a parent or grandparent. Be empathetic and try to understand that [you can’t] just barge right into questions. I know you want to get leads within the first hours of the situation, but we’re still processing the shock. There’s so many things going through our heads. It’s like a jumbled-up puzzle and we don’t know what to do, so give us time to process. — Erica J.
At least act like you care. Even if you don’t, act. Act like you’re concerned, and just try to comfort a family when they’re going through that, because it’s a horrific experience. — Sabrina E.
Be consistent in how often you call (whether every week or every month), and let families know when that frequency needs to change.
It would mean a lot, even just to get a text on the anniversary: ‘We still thinking about you, still checking on things for you.’ — Ronda W.
We just want detectives to reassure us that our child’s case is not falling by the wayside. If you could give us a weekly report, a weekly update — we know you have other murders, but let us know, ‘Hey, we haven’t dropped the ball. We haven’t forgotten about you. We’re still working on it.’ — Erica J.
Why consistent communications matters: Sabrina Elam’s story.
When Sabrina Elam’s son Jared Elam was killed in St. Louis days before his 18th birthday, she was frustrated with the initial response from the city’s homicide detectives. But once she got in touch with Heather Taylor, a now-retired sergeant, Elam felt much more at ease.
Taylor “stayed on top of it. Her level of communication was awesome,” Elam said. “She kept me up to date on anything that she pursued.” Although Jared’s case was never solved, Elam said she remains grateful for how consistently the detective stayed in touch.
“She never made me wait … I would text her, and she’d either call me or text me back right after her shift,” Elam said. “I probably heard from her at least once a month or so, for some years. Even now, every now and then she’ll just reach out to see how I’m doing.”
Start building trust before the emergency.
Getting to know the people who live in high-crime areas — not as potential suspects, but as community members — lays a foundation that makes it easier to have tough conversations in moments of crisis.
You’re not going to make anybody think that you care if they don’t trust you … show them you care, and they’ll show you that they care. Checking in on the community, finding what the needs are, showing empathy, building relationships … that’s a lot of footwork. It’s not going to happen just sitting at your desk. — Maria M.
Clearly communicate what protections you can and can’t offer.
If families or other witnesses want to cooperate with the investigation, be honest about the potential consequences, and clear about what resources law enforcement has to keep people safe. Many families have said they only remember one or two key names and faces, so aim to keep communication between families and the same set of detectives.
Why do you think people don’t want to snitch? They don’t trust you to protect them, and why would you talk to somebody you don’t trust? — Maria M.
That’s the reason why people don’t say anything, because they scared. They feel like the police not going to protect them. If [people] find out that I told them something, I’m not protected. — Sabrina E.
Why consistent communication matters: Atif Mahr’s story.
After Atif Mahr’s daughter Isis Mahr was killed in 2021, he said detectives shared their cell phone numbers with him and asked about events being held in his daughter’s honor so they could attend. Although no one was convicted in her murder, police identified two suspects by communicating with Mahr about planned memorials and marches.
“The first march, they provided undercover work for me, and they actually found out who the shooters were because they were in a crowd and heard the kids [talking about it],” he said. “So they were very integral in my situation.”
Don’t be afraid to tell a family that their case has gone cold.
If the case is no longer actively being investigated, families want to know – even though it’s difficult news to deliver.
That’s fair to us. You can’t get no fairer than that. — Erica J.
