Calhoun County residents should be proud of the Calhoun County Cold Case Unit, the cooperative effort between the Calhoun County District Attorney's Office and the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department. That unit is currently investigating the 1992 murder of Phyllis Burdett. We should extend a helping hand to the professionals who make up this unit.
Cold cases are extremely difficult to solve. Solving a 17-year-old case is a mountain to climb since time is an enemy to identification, arrest and successful conviction of the deviate who committed such a horrible murder. A lack of public cooperation does not need to be an added burden.
Investigators M.L. Kirby and Larry Sylvester are highly trained and experienced individuals, but there is only so much they can do without the community's support.
There is someone who knows something about this case. Homicides do not occur in a vacuum. The person or persons who committed this homicide have, with all likelihood, talked about it to someone during the past 17 years.
It is the obligation of responsible residents to pursue the solving of the Burdett case. We can meet this obligation by supporting Kirby and Sylvester. This obligation can be best met by coming forth with information, not by becoming involved with the investigation and muddying the waters.
To those with knowledge of this particular case, please contact CrimeStoppers at 238-1414. Continued silence is an enemy of time, time is an enemy of justice, and justice is what we must have.
Edward Blackwelder
Piedmont
