OKLAHOMA CITY — Since 2017, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has been distributing unique card decks throughout state correctional facilities as part of an innovative approach to solving cold cases.
The concept is both simple and powerful: Every card features a real person whose life was cut short or who simply vanished without a trace.
"A few years ago, one of the initiatives that we had within OSBI was to produce some playing cards and to highlight or spotlight some of our cold cases on these cards whether that's a missing person case or an unsolved homicide case," said Dale Fine, an OSBI agent.
The strategy is surprisingly straightforward. Inmates naturally spend hours playing cards, so investigators decided to put unsolved cases directly in their hands.
Each deck becomes a constant reminder of these unresolved tragedies, featuring victim photos and crucial case details that might spark a memory or recognition.
The partnership between OSBI and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections ensures these decks reach inmates across the state prison system.
The hope is that someone shuffling through these cards will recognize a face, remember an overheard conversation or recall a crucial detail that could finally bring closure to a family that's been waiting for answers.
"So we did a couple of series of these cards and basically put them out within the prison systems within Oklahoma, in turn trying to generate somebody coming across that card and that particular case on that card, maybe if they have that one piece of information that could be vital solving that case, hoping in turn that person would report that to the OSBI for further investigation," Fine said.
For families still searching for answers, these playing cards represent something invaluable: hope that someone, somewhere, holds the key to finally bringing their loved one home or bringing their killer to justice.
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