LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The search for justice is an ongoing process not only for police but also for a local nonprofit: the Vegas Justice League.

This non-profit organization gives police the resources they need to help solve our valley’s oldest mysteries.

Within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, more than 1,200 cold cases are still being processed.

“Here in Las Vegas, we have some of the best homicide detectives that exist in this country,” LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a Key to the Strip ceremony Wednesday. “For over a decade, we have consistently solved over 90% of the homicides that occur in our jurisdiction, but even with that, today we have 1,267 unsolved cases that are actively being processed.”

The Vegas Justice League assisted investigators in their quest for justice for the victims, and the nonprofit organization is now being recognized for its work.

You may remember last month, when we told you about a update of a 1994 cold case — the murder of Melonie White. The Vegas Justice League played a significant role in identifying a suspect and now, after 30 years, the case is considered solved.

WATCH | Las Vegas police reveal new details in unsolved 1994 Melonie White murder case

Las Vegas police reveal new details in unsolved 1994 Melonie White murder case

“We are very, very grateful for the contributions of the Vegas Justice League, whose donation for police DNA testing helped police solve the case,” said Jason White, Melonie’s younger brother.

“It’s good to be able to bring closure to this case,” said Walter White, another of Melonie’s brothers.

The 30-year-old cold case ended when Metro identified the suspect as Arthur Lavery, who resided in Las Vegas in 1994. Police said Lavery died in 2021 due to complications from COVID-19.

Metro said the Vegas Justice League played a vital role in the investigation.

“It was their support that directly led to the closure of nine cold cases that would never have been solved without their assistance,” said Metro Homicide Lt. Jason Johansson.

The nonprofit started in the Valley in 2020 and is now a group of six volunteers who donate money to the Metropolitan Police Department to fund DNA re-evaluations using new technology at Othram Labs in Texas .

“They do that, DNA sequencing and get hundreds of thousands of reference points, and then they do forensic genealogy research to be able to identify, down to – I think – they can get the seventh cousin ” said the co-founder of the Vegas Justice League. » said Justin Woo.

Woo told Channel 13 that it now costs about $7,500 to pay for the DNA re-evaluation of a cold case. Since its debut in 2020, the Vegas Justice League has helped solve nine cold cases.

The Vegas Justice League said three cases have already been funded through community donations. Woo said a $10 donation can go a long way and help solve another cold case.

Both Woo and Lydia Ansel founded the Vegas Justice League, and they said that no matter how old the case is, it can be solved.

“Don’t lose hope. Detectives have not given up hope, they are still working these cases and waiting for leads,” Woo said.

“The question is not if it will resolve, but when it will resolve,” Ansel said.

Woo and Ansel have been married and have lived in the Valley for over a decade.

“It’s great to bring the local community and law enforcement together to work together to make our communities safer,” Woo said.

And for their work in our community, they were honored with a Key to the Las Vegas Strip last weekbut their help goes far beyond the valley. Woo and Ansel work with law enforcement agencies across the country.

Not only do they work alongside local law enforcement, but the league also funds the re-evaluation of DNA cases nationally by donating money to Othram Labs. The lab will then use that money to cover up a random unsolved case across the country.

This is a similar process to how they also work with local law enforcement. Woo, Ansel, and the other League members will talk to the police station, tell them that they can fund a certain number of cases, and then the police will choose which cold case to use the money for.

To put that into perspective, the Vegas Justice League is currently working on over 20 cases here in Las Vegas alone, and over 100 others across the country.