Helena, Montana's capital and largest city, is home to a population of just under 30 thousand people. The city's tiny size hasn't protected it from the problems of cold cases and unsolved crimes. The Helena Police Department has worked on several cold cases involving missing or murdered persons over the years.
According to statistics provided by the Montana Department of Justice, there have been a total of 14 killings in Helena since 1980. Only 5 of the 14 cases have been solved, with a clearance rate of only 36%. A male, 25, was discovered shot to death in a Helena parking lot in 2017. This murder remains unsolved to this day. No suspects have been apprehended at this time, but the inquiry continues.
There have been a number of unsolved disappearances and homicides in Helena as well. David Wayne Nelson, who had been missing since 2006 and whose last known whereabouts was in Helena, is one such example. Nelson was a homeless man who was often spotted around the central business district of the city. There have been numerous attempts to locate him, but without success.
The Spurlock mother-and-son duo, Rachel and Robert, have been missing since 1990 after they were last seen in Helena. They left their car in a deserted place far from the city, yet nobody ever came back for it. Their whereabouts are currently unknown.
This and other cold cases are being investigated by the Helena Police Department's Cold Case Unit. The squad is manned by seasoned detectives who are committed to reopening and reinvestigating these cases using cutting-edge tools and methods.
The Cold Case Unit collaborates closely with the FBI, the Montana Department of Justice, and other local law enforcement agencies. During missing person investigations, the team also taps into the expertise of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.