Unsolved murders and the rise of true crime media

The rising popularity of true crime documentaries has brought renewed attention to unsolved murder cases, particularly those involving Black victims. Many such homicides remain cold cases due to factors including faulty police work, uncooperative witnesses, and systemic racism.

Recent examples of high-profile unsolved cases include the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, where a grand jury declined to file criminal charges, and the 2013 death of Georgia high school student Kendrick Johnson, which remains a subject of intense debate regarding whether it was an accident or something more sinister.