Ex-Police Sgt. Troy Hillman on Investigating Phoenix Canal Murders Without Proper Training

Assembling the Cold Case Team

• 🎯 Retired Phoenix Police Sgt. Troy Hillman discusses leading a cold case team to investigate the Phoenix Canal Murders.
• 💡 The team relied heavily on a DNA expert named Kelly, who consistently informed them that suspects were not the perpetrator after DNA analysis.

Morale and Persistence

• 📈 Hillman wrote "never give up" on a board to boost team morale during periods of doubt and setbacks.
• 🧠 Each team member had their own suspect they believed was guilty, highlighting the emotional toll of the investigation.

Challenges in the Investigation

• 🔬 The lab faced a high volume of requests from regular homicides alongside the serial killer investigation, impacting turnaround times.
• 🧩 The team was essentially sifting through names and relied on external help.

External Assistance and Training Gaps

• 🤝 The team received significant assistance from the Vox Society out of Philadelphia.
• ⚠️ Hillman explicitly states that the team did not have the proper training for investigating serial killers, underscoring the difficulty of the case.