FIND Act could help solve missing persons cases in Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A new bipartisan push from state lawmakers could help find answers for the families of the missing.

19 Investigates first told you about this new legislation two weeks ago.

You can watch that story here.

It would require law enforcement enter missing persons cases in a national database that helps connect the missing to unidentified remains.

We went to Columbus and spoke with one of the lawmakers spearheading this effort.

Andrew Chapman has been missing from Columbus since 2006.

Seeing his billboard every day inspired State Rep. Christine Cockley, a self-professed true crime junkie, to take action with new legislation.

“It reminds Ohioans that true crime isn’t just stories and entertainment. These are real people’s lives and this piece of legislation could impact everyone across the nation who has experienced missing loved ones,” she said.

The FIND Act could help bring more families of the missing answers.

State representatives Christine Cockley (D-Columbus) and Kevin Ritter (R- Marietta) teamed up to introduce the bipartisan bill.

It would require law enforcement enter missing persons cases into a national database called NamUs within 30 days of a report being filed.

NamUs stands for the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

It’s a free, publicly accessible database established by the U.S. Department of Justice.

It helps match missing persons to unidentified remains cases.

“I don’t want this to be an administrative barrier or burden on the people doing the work. I want it to be a tool or a resource that helps them do the work,” State Rep. Cockley said.

Sixteen states mandate the use of NamUs in missing persons investigations.

State Rep. Cockley said they looked at states in the Midwest that have already passed it as a possible model for this bill.

They also learned this database usually helps long-term missing cases over 180 days old the most.

And they found law enforcement and medical examiners are already required to put missing persons cases into several other law enforcement databases.

“There has to be some type of database that we can use or program to integrate these databases. And so, I reached out to one of the firms that’s working with the federal government and NamUs to see if they’re doing any of that work to see how we can make it easier for integration and implementation,” she said.

Right now medical examiners and coroners are not required by state law in Ohio to enter unidentified remains cases into NamUs.

But the database is widely used and there are more than 15,000 unidentified remains listed in it from across the country.

We’ve profiled many local John and Jane Doe cases in our series Unidentified.

“Do you hope that could be something that’s added into the bill, the requirement that medical examiners and agencies also enter the Jane and John Does or do you think that would be maybe a separate piece of legislation? Are you considering this?” Investigative Reporter Sara Goldenberg asked.

“Definitely something I’m considering,” State Rep. Cockley said.

“I’m going to introduce legislation that gets me as close as where I want to be and do take the steps that are realistic to make sure it’s being supported and passed and it is bipartisan and it does have a positive impact and then walk the rest of the way,” she said.

State Rep. Cockley said it was their goal to drop the bill before the Governor DeWine’s Missing Persons Working Group wrapped up, that way the bill would be discussed and could help shape some of their recommendations, which are due out soon.

We will keep an eye on this bill as it moves forward in the Ohio Statehouse.

The next step would be a first hearing in the public safety committee.