Wayne State Students to Review Two Detroit Cold Cases

Published on November 11, 2026, the partnership between Wayne State University and the Detroit Police Department is set to begin in January 2027. The program will involve criminal justice students reviewing unsolved homicide cases, with the goal of developing leads and helping victims’ families find answers. Students are expected to present their findings to investigators.

Two cases have been selected. Casey Willis, a Wayne State student, was shot and killed on Detroit’s east side on December 26, 2020. Paige Stalker, a 16-year-old from Grosse Pointe Farms, was shot and killed on the east side on December 22, 2014.

Assistant Professor Toycia Collins, who leads the program, wrote her doctoral dissertation on cold-case closure rates. Detroit Police Chief Todd A. Bettison said the department is focused on adding investigators and resources and using available techniques to solve homicides. Collins said the work could help families seeking answers after long waits.