HOUSTON -- A new fugitive apprehension team is hoping to turn cold cases into hot leads.
“You can run, but you can't hide. We are bringing them to justice,” said Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos.
Lykos says she came up with the idea after learning they had hundreds of old murder cases still open where defendants were never arrested, or if they were, they vanished before trial.
“There were 600 of these cases. We have 22 criminal district courts and they were in 22 different file drawers,” she said.
Systematically, the cases were put into a database, and with all the new technology, information systems, and using good old fashion feet on the ground investigations, dozens of fugitives have been tracked down, Lykos said.
“We found many out of the country,” said Kim Bryant, who has been handling extraditions for the D.A.'s office for 15 years.
Bryant said some countries are not very helpful in the process. “We have to get pretty creative about how we can get them out,” she said. “Vietnam is one we've had trouble with in the past in the past. It is improving. El Salvador [is another.]”
When and if Bryant is able to make it all work, the U.S. Marshal's office goes and gets them and brings them back.
“Well we are both sword and shield to protect our people and that's exactly what we're doing,” Lykos said.
