Plano and Dallas detectives solve cold cases, bring closure to families

A decades-old child sexual assault case that had worn down hope in both Dallas and Collin County moved toward closure after Plano Police Detective Benzick spotted a newspaper article about the case in 2023 and reached out to Dallas Police Detective DeAngelis. The two detectives dug in together and relied largely on Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy to solve a case that had long resisted answers.

For the victim and family, the breakthrough mattered as much as the crime itself. It showed that old evidence, if paired with persistence and the right partners, can still produce accountability years after the original investigation stalled. DeAngelis was honored with the Super Sleuth Award at the annual Collin County Crime Victims Luncheon on April 22, 2026, a recognition that Collin County Criminal District Attorney Greg Willis has said is meant to spotlight work that goes above and beyond in solving crimes and securing justice for victims. Willis has also emphasized that the honored detectives provide support to victims and their families, not just investigative skill.

The case also underscored how local departments in North Texas are handling older crimes now. Plano Police said its cold cases are investigated by the Crimes Against Persons, or CAPers, Unit, which handles unsolved homicide cases, missing persons and other serial offenses. The department says all unsolved cases remain open until they are solved, a policy that keeps long-dormant files active when new technology or a fresh lead emerges. In this case, the link between a Plano detective and a Dallas detective helped turn a single article into a working investigation.

Dallas Police has been pressing that message for years. In 2005, the department said its Sexual Assault Cold Case Program encouraged survivors of assaults from the 1970s and 1980s to contact investigators, part of a broader effort to invite new tips and victim contact in unsolved sexual assault cases. That same long view is visible in Collin County, where the Crime Victims’ Rights Luncheon has also recognized groups such as Emily’s Place, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County and Traffick911. One CBS Texas report said about 300 people attended the 2024 luncheon at Collin College McKinney, a reminder of how many families and advocates are pulled into the work of restoring answers after years of uncertainty.

The Dallas-Plano collaboration showed that cold-case work is no longer only about preserving files. It is about new evidence, patience and departments willing to cross city lines when a case still has a path forward.