When justice stalls, your voice can be one of the most powerful tools to push for action. Writing a well-crafted, emotionally compelling advocacy letter to a lawmaker, district attorney, or police department can help advance cold cases and ensure victims are not forgotten.
As a family advocate for Kristin O’Connell, who was murdered in 1985 in Ovid, New York, and whose case remains unsolved nearly four decades later, I’ve seen how difficult and frustrating the pursuit of justice can be. I promised Kristin’s mother that I would do everything I could to help her get answers — and part of that work includes reaching out to lawmakers, police departments, and journalists.
In this post, I’ll share my tips for how to write an advocacy letter that has impact.
Lawmakers are elected to represent you. When constituents raise concerns about unsolved cases, systemic failures, or resource shortages, it forces action — especially when the message is clear, personal, and persistent.
Letters have helped form cold case task forces, fund DNA testing, and push legislation that directly benefits unsolved cases.
Step 1: Build Your Contact List
Before you write your letter, gather contact info for the people you want to reach. My favorite tool is Hunter.io, which helps you find and verify emails for lawmakers, law enforcement, journalists, and more.
Tips:
- You can search 25 emails and verify 50 emails/month on the free plan.
- Use the Chrome extension to link Hunter.io with Gmail for easy sending.
- Save contacts into a campaign list for coordinated outreach.
Also consider researching the names and emails for:
- Your state legislators
- Members of the criminal justice committees
- The Attorney General’s Office
- Relevant law enforcement or cold case units and advocacy groups
Step 2: Write Your Advocacy Letter
I recommend drafting your letter in Google Docs — it’s easy to share with others and you can easiily edit from your phone, and track versions.
Here’s what to include in a powerful advocacy letter:
|
Section |
What to Include |
|
Introduction |
Who you are, your role (family member, advocate), and your connection to the case. |
|
The Issue |
State the unsolved case clearly and what problem you’re trying to solve. |
|
What You’ve Done So Far |
Share past efforts – social media, FOIA requests, outreach, or public campaigns. |
|
Relevant Background |
Add legislation, stats, or prior responses from agencies. |
|
Emotional Hook |
Include photos or quotes from the victim’s loved ones. |
|
Specific Ask |
End with a clear call to action — what do you want the recipient to do? |
Step 3: Add Visuals and Emotion
The most effective letters show, not just tell. Include:
- A photo of the victim
- A quote or note from the family
- A timeline or personal story
Step 4: Send It at Scale
Once your letter is ready:
- Use BeeFree.io or a similar tool to build an HTML email.
- Or paste the email template directly into Gmail or Outlook.
- Send individually or use a mail merge tool like YAMM or ccreate a free account at Mailerlite and send the email to multiple people at once.
Coordinate your sends with:
- Case anniversaries
- Legislative hearings
- Press releases or new campaigns
Advocacy in Action: Real Stories That Moved Lawmakers
Real families have used advocacy letters like these to create cold case units, fund DNA testing, and spark new investigations.
Carla Walker Case – Fort Worth, TX
Carla was murdered in 1974. Her brother Jim Walker advocated for more DNA testing and urged lawmakers to fund forensic science. Carla’s case was solved in 2020, 46 years later.
Project: Cold Case – National
Ryan Backmann, whose father’s murder is unsolved, founded Project: Cold Case. They help families write effective letters, connect with lawmakers, and pass legislation.
Colorado Cold Case Task Force
Multiple families sent letters to state senators requesting better cold case support. Their efforts helped form the Colorado Cold Case Task Force and a public searchable database.
Lori Lee Malloy Case – Rhode Island
After Lori Lee Malloy was murdered in 1993, her daughter Lauren Malloy fought for justice for years (and is still fighting). Her advocacy helped push the state to create the Rhode Island Cold Case Unit, officially launched in 2023.
What These Stories Show
|
What Worked |
Why It Mattered |
|
Personal letters |
Made lawmakers see victims as real people |
|
Coordinated outreach |
Amplified pressure on decision-makers |
|
Media involvement |
Increased public awareness and accountability |
|
Specific asks |
Lawmakers knew exactly how to help |
|
Follow-through |
Families kept the pressure on over time |
*Important Disclaimer: You Can Do Everything Right – and Still Need More
While advocacy letters are powerful tools, it’s important to be honest: writing a great letter doesn’t guarantee action. You may send dozens of letters, make calls, and follow up for months — and still hear nothing.
That’s not a failure. It’s part of the long, difficult reality of advocating for justice in cold cases.
To improve your chances of being heard, you need to think beyond the inbox:
Combine Letters with Other Advocacy Tactics:
- Find allies. Partner with other cold case families, local activists, or advocacy organizations.
- Reach out to podcasters. True crime and justice-focused shows have massive reach and influence — and many are willing to spotlight lesser-known cases.
- Pitch local news outlets. Share your story around anniversaries or key developments to create public pressure.
- Use social media. Create awareness campaigns, tag lawmakers in posts, and encourage others to write letters too.
- Start petitions. A petition with thousands of signatures often makes lawmakers pay closer attention.
The Goal Is Visibility + Pressure
It often takes a coordinated, multi-channel strategy to push a lawmaker or agency into action. Letters are a start, but they’re most effective when paired with public momentum, media coverage, and community support.
Keep writing. Keep following up. Keep showing up. Because every time you speak up, you’re keeping the victim’s story alive, and making it harder for anyone to ignore.