Middlesex DA Touts Success of Cold Case Unit

Decades-old murder case gives victim's family renewed hope for justice.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:01am

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For nearly 50 years, Geraldine Houde has waited for authorities to identify the person who killed her older sister, Theresa Corley, in Bellingham, Washington in 1978. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan says the success of her office's cold case unit is giving victims' families like Houde renewed hope that their loved ones' killers will eventually be brought to justice.

Why it matters

Unsolved murders can haunt victims' families for decades, leaving them without closure. The Middlesex DA's cold case unit represents a growing trend of law enforcement agencies dedicating resources to revisiting old cases, using new forensic technologies and investigative techniques to potentially crack decades-old mysteries.

The details

Theresa Corley was murdered in Bellingham, Washington on December 6, 1978. Her sister, Geraldine Houde, has waited nearly 50 years for authorities to identify her killer. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan says her office's cold case unit has had success in solving other long-dormant murder investigations, giving families like Houde's renewed hope that justice can still be served.

  • Theresa Corley was murdered on December 6, 1978.
  • For nearly 50 years, her sister Geraldine Houde has waited for authorities to identify the killer.

The players

Geraldine Houde

The sister of murder victim Theresa Corley, who was killed in 1978.

Theresa Corley

A woman who was murdered in Bellingham, Washington in 1978.

Marian Ryan

The Middlesex District Attorney, whose office has had success in solving other cold case murders, giving families like Houde's renewed hope.

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What they’re saying

“My hope dwindles, day to day,”

— Geraldine Houde, Sister of murder victim

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of dedicated cold case units in law enforcement, which can provide closure for victims' families decades after a crime was committed. The success of the Middlesex DA's cold case work is a model for how other jurisdictions can approach unsolved murders.