Surviving families involved in cold cases are subjected to things every single day that we suspect no one at the first television network to produce a true crime series sat around thinking about.

I often wonder who it first was that decided it was a good idea to create content about the worst event in someone else’s life. We can probably credit the news media, as films and episodic content are often offshoots of that programming and exposure. Law enforcement will confirm that we might not solve crimes without media exposure. In some cases it can be critical. Yet we all must learn to do better.

Tess Clouse Welch comforts her older sister, Debbie Brooks when the sisters visited the desolate wooded site in Houston, Texas where their brother, Dean Clouse and his wife, Tina were found murdered in 1981.

Genealogy For Justice™ continues and expands the work done over the past year with the Clouse-Casasanta and Linn families on many of the issues that victims and survivors of cold cases must endure.

We are developing resources and a referral network to address areas such as grief, case advocacy, media relations, privacy issues, financial and legal implications, interacting with law enforcement and more.

Some of the keys to this part of our mission include:

•  A dedicated referral and resource network which is growing every day.

•  Participating in the Engage with Empathy Campaign spearheaded by the family of Maura Murray. This project unites survivors of true crime, supporters, and content creators in making the difficult journey for those struggling with loss a little more bearable.

•  Coaching families on media relations. Attention to your loved one’s case can be the difference in whether or not it is solved. It can also make your life a nightmare if not handled mindfully.

Please watch this space for our growing list of resources for families.