Last year, Tucson police solved 39 of 59 homicides, or 66 percent of the cases they investigated. Comparatively, the Tucson Police Department in 1999 investigated 36 homicides, excluding shootings that were accidental or involved officers. They solved 33 of them, or 91 percent. The Sheriff's Department investigated 25 criminal homicides and solved 17 of them, or about 68 percent. By comparison, law enforcement agencies across Arizona solved about 60 percent of all homicides in 1999.
Investigators offer several reasons for why cases go unsolved.
Michael O'Connor, head of the Sheriff's Department homicide unit, said the percentage of cases solved over the last three years has dropped because of the number of cases detectives have had to investigate. That takes a toll. You kind of hope for an off, slower year. With the criminal element and with organized groups, people are reluctant to talk. Force said the Phoenix Police Department's unsolved caseload for homicides is 40 percent.