Florida law enforcement leaders promote new task force to act on unresolved cases
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida law enforcement leaders jointly promoted the “Big Bend Cold Case Task Force: No Case Forgotten, No Truth Untold” Wednesday, an initiative to seek justice for unsolved cases.
The Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the State Attorney’s Office of the Second Judicial Circuit announced the task force’s recent creation.
The task force was created in 2023 and according to the City of Tallahassee, it has made “significant strides” in resolving enduring cold cases and generating fresh leads, showcasing the unwavering dedication of the collaborating agencies to pursue justice for victims and their families.
So far, the task force has resolved one case, which was the oldest cold case on record for the Tallahassee Police Department. It has also made progress in a second case.
The cold case that the task force resolved was closed through “exceptional clearance,” according to the city. In other words, the case was closed without any arrests or charges filed, following the death of the offender.
The victim of the cold case was 27-year-old Dorothy Thomas, who was allegedly brutally stabbed to death while working at a laundromat in 1957.
Harry Barth, a customer of the cleaners, was a primary suspect of the case, and according to the announcement, there was not enough evidence for an arrest.
Barth died of natural causes in 2019 and after a subsequent review of the case by the Big Bend Cold Case Task Force, detectives were led to establish “probable cause indicating that Barth murdered Thomas.”
“This resolution shows the dedication of law enforcement professionals to bring closure even in the face of significant challenges,” the announcement said.
The second case that the task force is making progress on entails the 2014 disappearance of Leslie McCoy, who would now be 58 years old. According to the announcement, new information has been uncovered by the task force after the initial investigation did not have any leads.
“The closure and ongoing investigation of these cases highlight the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in law enforcement and the unwavering ongoing efforts to pursue justice for victims and their families,” the announcement said.
The City of Tallahassee encouraged community members to assist the task force with these ongoing investigations, or other cold cases in the Tallahassee and Leon County area, by providing any information that may help.
Community members may share information with a detective by calling 850-412-7611. To remain anonymous, community members can call Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS.
