Lindsey Wade’s journey into law enforcement began with a deeply personal connection to a tragic cold case in her hometown of Tacoma, Washington. In 1986, as a young girl, she was profoundly impacted by the unsolved murders of two local girls, which sparked a determination to pursue justice. This early inspiration evolved into a 21-year career with the Tacoma Police Department.
After transitioning from patrol to investigations, Wade spent 14 years solving some of the most challenging cases, including child abuse, sexual assaults and homicides. Her last three years as a cold case detective brought her full circle, allowing her to play a pivotal role in resolving the very cases that had shaped her path.
Her true crime memoir, “In My DNA: My Career Investigating Your Worst Nightmares,” recounts the unforgettable cases she solved, including the cold case that first inspired her to become a detective.
Below, Wade shares insights into her career path, the challenges of detective work and advice for aspiring investigators.
What does a typical day as a cold case detective look like?
Cold cases are different from active investigations because you have more of a luxury of slowing down and deciding what to prioritize. You’re not dealing with new cases coming in, so you can focus on older cases that need attention.
For me, working cold cases often involved re-evaluating evidence, identifying what needed additional testing, like DNA or ballistics, and revisiting crime scenes — even if they no longer existed in the same way. I’d also look at old interviews, consider who needed to be re-interviewed and work closely with the crime lab to explore new testing methods.
A big part of my day was assessing the needs of each case and creating a to-do list to systematically address them. It’s methodical work — checking off tasks one by one until you’ve done everything possible. Sometimes that leads to an arrest, a referral to the prosecutor’s office, or, in some cases, a decision to close the case for specific reasons.
What challenges do you face regularly as a detective and how do you handle them?
Juggling multiple cases at once is one of the biggest challenges. I don’t know of any detectives who have the luxury of focusing on one case at a time — maybe in a very small agency, but not in Tacoma. Most detectives are juggling dozens of cases at a time, if not more, so you have to triage your cases and prioritize them.
Cold cases are different because you have the luxury of slowing down and deciding what to prioritize. With active cases, though, it’s not that way — you’re constantly managing new cases as they come in. For me, I always kept detailed notes in the case file and a running to-do list for each case. Some detectives even use checklists, which can be helpful, especially for more complex cases like homicides.
Time management is critical. I’d keep my calendar organized with appointments and tasks, but I also had to be flexible. You might come in on a Tuesday with a plan to get things done on a specific case and then a homicide happens — and everything is out the window. Flexibility is key because priorities shift constantly.
On top of managing time and cases, you also have to handle the emotional toll of certain investigations, especially when dealing with sensitive cases like homicides or crimes against children. Those cases are incredibly difficult and emotionally draining, and you need to have a support system in place. I was fortunate that Tacoma brought in a psychologist in 2016, and that resource normalized seeking help and made it accessible for officers and detectives.
In the video below, Wade details the 32-year-old cold case she helped solve, as well as advice for aspiring police detectives.
Can you share a memorable experience that highlights your impact as a cold case detective?
One of the most impactful experiences in my career was helping to solve two high-profile cold cases from my childhood. In 1986, two young girls in Tacoma were brutally murdered just months apart. I was 10 when the first girl was killed and 11 when the second girl was killed. Both were young, blonde, blue-eyed, riding bikes in parks in Tacoma’s north end. Their cases were nearly identical — both girls were sexually assaulted and left in wooded areas.
These cases cast a shadow over the city for decades, becoming almost like urban legends. There was fear in the community that a serial killer was on the loose. They had a huge impact on me as a child and were part of what inspired me to become a detective.
When I joined the Tacoma Police Department, I had the opportunity to work on their cases, eventually taking them over when I became the cold case detective. It was deeply personal. I got to meet their families and developed a close relationship with the mother of one of the girls.
We had DNA from the suspect in both cases in CODIS, the national DNA database, but it didn’t match anyone. It was up to me and the other detectives who worked the cases over the years to figure out how to solve them. We pulled out all the stops and I go into detail about this process in my book.
The resolution of these cases was an emotional roller coaster. I describe in my book how they were finally solved after decades of investigation and it was unlike anything I’ve experienced in my career. These cases stayed with me my entire life and helping to solve them was one of the most rewarding moments of my career.
What unique skills or tools are essential for success as a police detective?
Attention to detail is absolutely critical. I think women, in particular, pick up on details that men sometimes overlook or may not see as relevant. It also depends on the victim. If you’re dealing with a female victim, there are often nuanced things women might notice that men wouldn’t.
Women are also often better interviewers, whether it’s with suspects or victims of crime. Child victims, for example, sometimes feel more comfortable talking with a woman, depending on the situation. Communication skills are vital and women tend to be good at communicating with all different kinds of people.
I also think women are naturally more inquisitive. My husband jokes and calls me “Miss Inquisitive” because if he tells me something, I immediately have 20 follow-up questions. That curiosity is important for detectives — it drives us to dig deeper and uncover the finite details that can make or break a case.
Another key tool is the ability to understand unspoken language. There are subtle, nuanced things that people communicate without words, and being able to pick up on those can be a huge advantage in interviews and investigations.
What are the most rewarding aspects of a detective’s job?
Helping victims and their families find justice is incredibly fulfilling. There’s nothing like being able to uncover answers that bring closure to loved ones.
One of the most rewarding things for me has been working on cases from start to finish. When you’re in patrol, you often see the beginning of a case but don’t get to see how it ends. As a detective, you get to dive deeper into cases, put together all the pieces and ultimately help bring resolution.
With cold cases especially, there’s a unique reward in being able to solve something that’s haunted a family for decades. It’s difficult to work, but being able to give those families some peace, knowing what happened to their loved ones or seeing justice served, makes it all worthwhile.
What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing a police detective role?
Don’t take no for an answer. Throughout my career, I’ve had people tell me, “That can’t be done,” or, “You can’t do that.” But if you’re trying to solve a problem, get justice for victims or do something for the greater good, then there’s always another way.
One example from my career involves what’s known as “lawfully owed DNA.” These are cases where convicted offenders should have been entered into the DNA database but weren’t due to gaps in the law. I came across an offender in Washington State who I believed to be a serial killer and rapist, but his DNA wasn’t in the database — even though he had committed a triple homicide. I was told he didn’t qualify for entry into the database because of how the law was written and that didn’t sit well with me.
I worked with state legislators to change the law, ensuring that offenders like him could be entered into the system. As a result, his DNA was added to the database in 2020 and it solved a 1975 murder case of a young University of Washington student. That case had remained unsolved for decades.
My advice is simple: When you’re told no, don’t just accept it. There’s always another way to achieve your goal. Stay persistent and focused, especially when it comes to advocating for victims and seeking justice.
