West Virginia2026Enacted

HB4345

Law to Keep Missing Persons Records and Evidence Safe

Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 11:08 AM

In one sentence

This law requires West Virginia police agencies to permanently keep records and evidence for missing persons cases that are not solved after one year.

Requires law enforcement to permanently save all files and physical evidence from unresolved missing person complaints.
Mandates that active and unsolved case files be turned into digital formats so they can be searched easily.
Orders the lead police agency to send all documents about an unsolved case to the West Virginia Fusion Center.
Creates a new state database called the Cold Case Database for storing information on unresolved crimes, missing persons cases, and unidentified human remains.
Defines specific terms like 'unresolved complaint' as a case that has not been solved one year after it was filed.

The official text provided ends before listing every specific type of information that must go into the Cold Case Database.
While agencies may keep physical evidence, they are required to send documentation to the Fusion Center until a case is resolved.

Plain language

Unresolved missing persons complaint: A report about a missing person that has not been solved one year after it was filed.
West Virginia Fusion Center: The state agency responsible for receiving documents from unsolved cases and maintaining the Cold Case Database.
Cold case: An investigation into a qualifying crime, an unresolved missing persons complaint, or unidentified human remains where all leads have been checked but the case is still not solved.

Official record

Validated

Relating to the preservation of missing persons records and evidence

Official activity