There are specific heinous crimes that do not operate under the statute of limitations. This means they can be prosecuted at any time, regardless of how much time has passed. Murder is one of the most obvious crimes that will typically be investigated until a perpetrator is caught. Other cases could involve embezzlement of public funds or child abuse. These crimes most often have a long-lasting impact on victims, which merits legal action even if a significant amount of time has passed since the incident.