Nineteen homicide cold-cases are currently active in New Zealand. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Nearly 20 homicide cases remain unsolved across the country, according to police.
Data obtained by RNZ through an OIA reveals 19 homicide cold-cases currently open, as of late last month.
Police said cases were usually inactivated - but remained 'open' - when all reasonable lines of enquiry were completed, without resolving the case.
Detective senior sergeant Jaedoo Danny Kim said cases were considered resolved after someone was convicted of the offence, the person responsible was identified but had died, or when the person charged was found unfit to stand trial.
In some cases, a person charged can be acquitted of the offence, but no other person is sought in connection with the homicide.
Kim said in these instances, the case may or may not be resolved, depending on whether there was clear evidence that others were involved.
Unsolved cases put victims at risk
A homicide case going cold exacerbated the grief of those impacted by it, a victim support organisation said.
Manaaki Tāngata Victim Support manager Melissa Gordon said those who lost a loved one through homicide were at risk of complicated grief and PTSD.
She said an unresolved case put them at further risk.
"It increases the risk again of PTSD and complicated grief, and for many people, it prolongs that grief and that trauma that they feel," Gordon said.
Gordon said victims could be retraumatised for years by unresolved cases.
"In the wake of a homicide, or a missing person for that matter, there are a lot of rumours and media attention that goes round the communities, and more so when there's one without a resolution.
"That type of social impact can go on for many, many, many years."
Gordon said it was important for members of the community to be empathetic to those dealing with the aftermath of a cold case.
"It's easy to de-personalise these stories, especially when they're out in the media and it's not happening to us personally," she said.
"These are real people at the heart of these stories, at the heart of these cold cases, they're real people that are having to live with this trauma, and they're deserving of all of our empathy and support."
She also encouraged those who had been victims - regardless of whether they had reported a crime - to get in contact if they needed support.
"There is always hope," said Gordon.
"In my 10-11 years experience that I've had in victim support, I see it all the time.
"I see the amazing resilience that people have, and I see them overcome the biggest of challenges, and I see them at that first moment when they think 'how am I going to live', to then being able to move forward," said Gordon.