Playing Cards Used to Raise Awareness for Cold Cases in Southern Mississippi
In an effort to bring attention to unsolved cases, Southern Mississippi has taken a unique approach by creating playing cards featuring photos and information about victims. Each card showcases a different individual who either died or went missing, along with contact information for Crime Stoppers.
For example, the Ace of Diamonds displays Rebecca Reid, a woman from Lumberton, Miss., who was last seen in 2020. The Ace of Spades features Kimberly Watts from Long Beach, Miss, with details about her tragic death. These cards aim to spark interest and potentially generate new leads in cold cases.
This strategy is not exclusive to Southern Mississippi. In Indiana, “cold case cards” are available for purchase in prison facilities, while Minnesota and Connecticut have also utilized similar tactics. While some may question the effectiveness of these cards, for families of victims like Ms. Massey, even one solved case would make a significant impact.
Success stories have emerged from the use of playing cards in other states. In Florida, decks of cold case playing cards distributed to inmates led to the resolution of two cases. Despite some skepticism, organizations like Project: Cold Case continue to support these efforts to provide closure for victims’ families.
While the outcome of using playing cards to raise awareness for cold cases remains uncertain, the potential for even one case to be solved makes it a worthwhile endeavor.
