Retired Los Angeles police officer, Thomas Elfmont, was approached by a local sheriff in Bozeman, Mont., who asked him to take on a 30-year-old unsolved murder case. Elfmont accepted the challenge and, in a span of eight days, law enforcement made significant breakthroughs in at least four cold cases. However, despite advancements in forensic technology, solving cold cases remains rare, with many unsolved homicides across the country. Cold-case investigators, including retired officers, on-duty detectives, and civilian consultants, face numerous challenges such as long hours, dead-end leads, and emotional tolls. Despite the difficulties, many are motivated by a sense of obligation to victims' families or a passion for solving challenging cases. Elfmont, now a deputy in the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, worked tirelessly on the case of Danielle Houchins, who was murdered in 1996. He utilized new technology and genetic genealogy to identify a suspect, ultimately leading to the resolution of the case. While genetic genealogy has shown promise in solving cold cases, the reality of America’s unsolved homicides is daunting, with nearly 300,000 unsolved homicides since 1980. However, in some cases, breakthroughs occur, as seen in the resolution of Danielle Houchins' case through the use of genetic genealogy and new technology.