The Detective Who Never Gives Up

Detective Wade

Source: Permission: Lindsey Wade

We expect detectives to investigate cases. That’s their job. But some also check how these cases are handled on the backside—in the legal system. Case resolutions can get derailed by complications or simply by a lack of foresight. This can be heartbreaking for victims’ families and dispiriting for investigators. Sometimes it takes a cop who deeply cares for it to all work out.

When I met Detective Lindsey Wade at CrimeCon, where her book In My DNA: My Career Investigating Your Worst Nightmares was a finalist for a Clue Award, I wanted to learn about her perspective as a female investigator. When I read her book, I realized she brought something more to the table. Not only did she pursue justice with persistence and care, but she was also alert to systemic issues that thwarted positive outcomes. Not just alert. She set out to fix things.

One notable chapter featured Wade’s discovery that Ted Bundy’s DNA was absent from the CODIS database, despite his status as a prolific serial killer. He’d given names of many victims during his confession but withheld some and remained a suspect in others he didn’t discuss. This meant that some unsolved cold cases might still be linked to him. His DNA should be available for this purpose. Wade made her way through several red-tape barriers to learn the reason for this oversight and to rectify it. Bundy’s DNA is now in the system.

It had to be frustrating to realize that those in charge just hadn’t considered the issue. I asked Wade how she deals with policies and practices that needlessly hinder her job.

“Detectives face so many roadblocks while investigating violent crime,” she said. “I guess I'm the type of person who can't just accept ‘no’ for an answer, especially in cases where the rules are at odds with common sense and the ability of detectives to get justice for victims. The issue of missing offenders in the DNA database was something I stumbled upon, and [it] really motivated me to think outside the box to come up with solutions.”

She told me about an offender who was executed in Washington in 1994 for a 1982 triple homicide. His DNA was not in the DNA database because he’d been convicted before the DNA law went into effect. Wade took on this challenge. In 2019, she helped to pass the Jennifer and Michella's Law, making it possible for DNA samples from deceased offenders to be entered into CODIS. “I was able to get a sample of the offender's DNA from the medical examiner and it was uploaded to CODIS. In late 2023, I was notified that the offender's DNA matched the unknown offender DNA profile from an unsolved 1975 murder case in Seattle.”

Wade begins her book with the case of a young girl, Jennifer Bastian, who went missing in 1986 after she went out for a bike ride in Tacoma, Washington. Her abductor murdered her and dumped the body. The case went cold. The incident haunted Wade, who’d grown up in Tacoma. It inspired her to become a detective so she could ensure justice for victims of sex crimes and homicide. Jennifer remained a priority.

Cases that go cold often lose status for investigative effort and resources. It takes a passionate advocate to keep checking for new developments and testing new technologies. Duckworth, et al (2007) found that, beyond the need for intellect and conscientiousness, “grit”—the sustained and focused application of one’s talent over time—was a key factor in achieving difficult goals. Persistence pays off.

I asked Wade how she encourages such engagement from her colleagues. She acknowledged that “investigating cold cases is definitely not for everyone. Despite what we see on TV, they are incredibly challenging and difficult to resolve. Memories fade, witnesses die, evidence is lost, destroyed or consumed. All of these things factor in, and many detectives don't have the patience for this kind of work.”

Wade told me about a cold case homicide she’d worked for years, despite having a strong suspect. “I was never able to move the case forward. That's the norm with cold cases, so it can become a thankless job with very few wins. By now, almost everyone is familiar with Investigative Genetic Genealogy. It seems like there’s a new headline every week about another cold case being solved with this technique. I'm a big fan of IGG, but the reality is that most cold cases do not have a sexual component [with offender DNA], so the odds of solving a lot of cold cases with DNA and other forensic techniques are much lower.”

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Still, there are successes. Despite many setbacks, Wade did eventually identify Jennifer Bastian’s killer—a surprise on several levels.

Since the job can be taxing, especially when a considerable investment of effort looks futile, stress is a factor. I asked Wade about her stress release techniques. Taking walks and getting a weekly massage were her favorites. She finds them essential to keeping her life balanced.

From over two decades as a detective, she has learned some life lessons. I asked for her top three takeaways. Her response echoed the grit that characterizes her work:

1. When you encounter a roadblock, find another path to reach your goal.
2. Don't be afraid to be a BOSS.
3. Never give up!