Prject: Cold Case

Cold Cases Database

This database currently consists of unsolved homicides from 50 Florida counties, 46 U.S. states, and 3 international countries. All victims have been submitted by law enforcement or the victims' families. Additional counties and states will be added to this database as time and funding permit.

To submit your loved one for consideration please visit our Project Cold Case>
Please note: A bug occurred during a recent update and reset many of the dates to January 1, 1970. We are currently working to correct these mistakes.

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28 cases found.
CCR: 155905
Date Reported: March 24, 1980
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Carol Barrett
Age 18
Gender Female
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Billy Mansfield
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Incarcerated
CASE DETAILS
Status Solved
Incident Location 110 Pecan Park Rd
Jacksonville, Florida, 32218
Duval County
L.E.A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville, Florida

Cold Case Spotlight

Cold Case Homicide Investigation Ends

On Sunday, March 23, 1980, 18-year-old Carol Ann Barrett was visiting Daytona Beach while on Spring Break from Zanesville, Ohio with a group of high school friends. At approximately 2:00 a.m., Carol was abducted by an unknown assailant from the Treasure Island Motel, in Daytona Beach Shores. After interviewing Carol’s friends that had been in the room at the time of the kidnapping, a police sketch of the suspect was completed.

On Monday, March 24, 1980, Carol’s lifeless body was discovered by a passerby in a ditch line along I-95 near Pecan Park Road in Jacksonville, Florida. Following an autopsy, Carol’s death was ruled a Homicide. Tragically, the case went “cold” after years of work by detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office along with the original jurisdiction.

In August of 2017, Carol’s case was revisited and ultimately re-opened by members of the JSO’s Cold Case Unit after reviewing all available evidence.

In 2020, a person of interest that had been formulated, Billy Mansfield, Jr. (White Male, 65), was ultimately identified as the suspect in Carol Barrett’s murder. Mansfield would have been 24 at the time of Carol’s Murder.

In September of 2022, after multiple interviews spanning two years, Billy Mansfield advised that he was in fact the suspect in the police sketch completed following the abduction. He went on to confess to the abduction from the Daytona Beach Shores hotel, as well as to her murder shortly thereafter.

Throughout the course of the follow-up investigation, the State Attorney's Office in the 4th Judicial Circuit was consulted with. Following the more than quarter-century investigation into Carol’s murder, it has been determined the SAO would not seek prosecution as Billy Mansfield will remain in prison in California on one life sentence for Murder, as well as four concurrent life sentences in Florida for Murder in separate cases.

Billy Mansfield continues to cooperate with detectives in other jurisdictions regarding additional Cold Cases.

CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: March 22, 1980
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Diane Drake
Gender Female
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Unknown
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident Location Memorial Blvd
Easton Beach waterline
Newport County
L.E.A Newport Police Department, Newport, Rhode Island
On March 22, 1980 the body of Diane Drake was discovered along the waterline of Easton beach on Memorial Blvd in Newport, RI. She was last seen walking to work on the afternoon of March 21, 1980. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Newport Police Department at (401) 847-1306.
CCR: 198000010437
Date Reported: March 1, 1980
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Sophia Miller
Age 19
Gender Female
Race African American/Black
DOB 09/12/1960
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Other
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident Location 319 Haymon Street
Altamonte Springs, Florida, 32701
Seminole County
L.E.A Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Sanford, Florida
On January 3, 1980, the body of Sophia Miller, b/f 19 years of age, was found in a tub filled with water by a friend. Miller was partially clothed and the cause of death was drowning/asphyxia. Her two small children, ages 3 and 2, were in another room of residence at the time of the homicide. Anyone who has any information about this case, the identity, or location of the suspect(s) is asked to contact the Seminole County Sheriff's Office at 229-524-5121
CCR: 01-80-64
Date Reported: January 15, 1980
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Willie Presley
Age 35
Gender Female
Race African American/Black
DOB 09/06/1944
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Gun/Firearm
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident Location Route 7 Box 348
Columbia County
L.E.A Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Lake City, Florida
The case facts stated the body was found around 5:15 pm in a home/bar that was named Charley’s place and belonged to the husband of the victim, B/F Willie Mease Presley. The victim had multiple gunshot wounds. A knife was found laying near her and several other items were also collected. No suspect was identified conclusively during the initial investigation, based upon the available documents. Anyone who has any information about this case, the identity, or location of the suspect(s) is asked to contact the Columbia County Sheriff`s Office at 386-752-9212.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: January 1, 1970
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Patsy Cowan
Age 50
Gender Female
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Knife/Stabbing
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident Location 400 block of Smokey Lake Drive
Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23462
L.E.A Virginia Beach Police Department, Virginia Beach, Virginia
On Thursday, October 9, 1980, Patsy Cowan had attended a picnic in Chesapeake, Virginia from the late afternoon hours until around 7:30 pm. A local builder invited real estate agents and builders from the Tidewater area to a large cookout where plans for a new development, on the land where this picnic occurred, was announced. Patsy was seen arriving and leaving alone in her 1976 dark colored Oldsmobile. She returned home in the 4400 block of Smokey Lake Drive, a new housing development, at approximately 8:15 pm. She was found at approximately 11:45 pm, nude and suffering from several stab wounds. There did not appear to be any forced entry into the home. A handgun kept inside the home by Ms. Cowan is missing and is described as a Smith and Wesson “top break, Lemon Squeeze” nickel plated .38 caliber revolver. The person(s) responsible for this brutal murder is suspected of taking this weapon. Patsy was a 50 year old white female who had brown eyes and brown hair, 5’ 5’’ tall weighing 120 pounds. She looked younger than her age.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: January 1, 1970
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Melinda Harder
Gender Female
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Undisclosed
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident Location 2100 block of 23 Ave N
Maximo Park
St. Petersburg, Florida, 33713
Pinellas County
L.E.A St. Petersburg Police Department, St. Petersburg, Florida
Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the St. Petersburg Police Department at (727) 893-7179.
CCR: 1980-23231
Date Reported: January 1, 1970
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Ethel Poole
Age 46
Gender Female
Race African American/Black
DOB 01/01/1970
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Knife/Stabbing
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident Location 1410 14th St E
Bradenton, Florida, 34208
Manatee County
L.E.A Bradenton Police Department, Bradenton, Florida
Harry Dean was arrested for this homicide, however a grand jury delivered a No True Bill.
CCR: Unknown
Date Reported: January 1, 1970
VICTIM DETAILS
Name Mary Humphrey
Age 23
Gender Female
Race Caucasian/White
SUSPECT DETAILS
Name Unknown
Offense Murder
Cause Undisclosed
Location Unknown
CASE DETAILS
Status Unsolved
Incident Location 50 feet off Old Willacoochee Road/Double Bridge Road
Berrien County
L.E.A Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Douglas, Georgia
Mary Susan Humphrey was last seen by friends on Friday, May 30, 1980 in Valdosta, Georgia after leaving Grego’s, which was a popular night club in the 80’s, with a male she met that night. Humphrey was a Moody Air Force Base Airman First Class assigned as an air traffic controller who lived off base near Walker’s Crossing. Humphrey left the bar and went to the man’s apartment off Forrest Street in Valdosta. The man told officers that Humphrey wanted to go home around 3:00 a.m. and she left his apartment walking down Forrest Street near Park Avenue. Humphrey was a white female, 23 YOA, with red hair, stood 5’3” tall and weighed 128 pounds. Humphrey was originally from Lenexa, Kansas and was stationed at Moody Air Force Base. Humphrey was last seen wearing a long sleeve burgundy in color shirt and dark colored slacks. On Sunday, June 15, 1980, Humphrey’s body was discovered about 50 feet off a dirt road known as Old Willacoochee Road or more commonly called Double Bridge Road in Berrien County by a group of men running their hunting dogs. The investigation led law enforcement at the time to arrest a former boyfriend of Humphrey. He was tried and acquitted by a Berrien County Jury on October 10, 1980. The GBI Douglas Office is asking for any assistance or information from the public which would lead to the identity of the person(s) responsible for the murder of Mary Susan Humphrey. The Humphrey family has remained in touch with investigators and would greatly appreciate getting closure for the loss of their loved one. If anyone has any information concerning Mary Susan Humphrey, please contact the GBI Office in Douglas, Ga. at 912-389-4103.