BELLEVILLE — A collaboration between the Illinois State Police (ISP) and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is advancing investigations into cold homicide cases while offering hands-on experience for criminal justice students.
Students and ISP agents reviewed the 2011 shooting death of Truman Smith in East St. Louis. Smith was shot while making a delivery and later died at a hospital. On May 22, 2025, 34-year-old Alan Davis of East St. Louis was charged with first-degree murder related to the case. Davis is currently incarcerated at Graham Correctional Center in Hillsboro on an unrelated 2012 aggravated battery conviction.
The partnership has contributed to identifying women involved in Jane Doe cases linked to serial killer Maury Travis. Three bodies found along Illinois roadways in 2002— previously unidentified — were confirmed through forensic efforts supported by the collaboration. ISP entered these cases into the National Missing and Unidentified Person System (NamUs) in 2014 and completed DNA analyses at the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification.
Since 2022, SIUE students have been working alongside ISP Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 6 special agents to review cold cases each semester. By applying a solvability matrix, students help prioritize cases based on their likelihood of being solved. The program also involves compiling a “Murder Book,” a searchable database of cold homicide cases in the Metro East area.
The women have been identified as Kelly Johnson, whose body was found January 30, 2002, near Mascoutah; Crystal Lay, discovered March 11, 2002, near Highland; and Carol Jean Hemphill, whose skeletal remains were found March 28, 2002, near Columbia.
“The Illinois State Police investigates hundreds of new cases each year, while also following up on cold cases from years past,” ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said. “Improvements in technology and advancements in forensic testing over the years can breathe new life into old cases. SIUE students have helped us review cold cases to prioritize them based on how close they are to solving. The partnership is not only helping with cold case review, it is providing students with experience and insight into homicide investigations.”
“Every person deserves to be identified and remembered. I’m proud to have played a part in giving two women their names back,” said SIUE graduate Ryleigh Franklin, who was involved in the program. “I’m incredibly grateful to SIUE and the Illinois State Police for giving me the chance to make a real difference.”
“This project has been an incredible learning experience for all of us, myself included,” said SIUE Professor of Criminal Justice Studies Dr. Trish Oberweis. “The collaboration leverages talent from multiple state entities and creates a novel, hands-on learning experience that has real world implications.”
The ISP-SIUE partnership continues to provide practical criminal investigation experience for students while supporting efforts to resolve cold cases and hold offenders accountable.
