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Roseville Police Reopen Susan Jacobson Cold Case

ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — It's a case that has gone unsolved for eight years. In 2013, Susan Jacobson, a Roseville wife and mother, went missing from the Raley's grocery store just minutes from her home.

She hasn't been heard from since. Police have now reopened the case after gaining access to new technology, including DNA technology, that could uncover new leads.

On May 1, 2013, Jacobson stopped at a Raley's off Pleasant Grove Boulevard in Roseville, then disappeared. Detectives found her unlocked car and her wallet but nothing else.

"This case truly put panic and fear into the minds of Roseville residents," said Rob Baquera, a spokesperson for the Roseville Police Department.

Chris and Susan Jacobson (Handout/Family photo)

At the time of her disappearance, Susan's husband, Chris, talked to CBS13 about the investigation hitting a dead end.

"They don't have any leads. They don't have anything pointing towards me or pointing towards anyone else," he told CBS13.

The Jacobsons had been married for 35 years.

"I didn't have anything to with it, I'm still trying to search why it happened and exactly how it happened," he said in 2015.

Now, eight years later, investigators are investing in new resources to crack the case.

"One of the things the detectives will be doing is going back and talking to all of the witnesses," Baquera said.

New technology is motivating new investments in cold cases all over the region.

Christie Wilson (handout)

Last year, the Placer County Sheriff's Office used ground-penetrating radar to uncover the remains of Christie Wilson, a woman murdered nearly 15 years ago.

Also, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office created a cold case unit a little over a year ago.

"We have a sergeant and two detectives assigned to it right now. We're hoping to grow that in the future," said Deputy Nicholas Goucher with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy Goucher said when it comes to DNA, detectives no longer have to have a direct match; they can find suspects using familial DNA.

"If there was some type of DNA that was collected that was unable to be tested at the time, we can now go through and have that tested with modern DNA techniques," he said.

Better computers are finding more leads.

"Computing power. If you have a lot of data you have to run through, you're now able to run it through modern data analysis software," Goucher said.

Cold cases are being resurrected in a whole new world. The ultimate goal: Bringing justice to families that have waited a long time for it.

CBS13 attempted to speak to the Jacobson family but were told no, as they said they are working with getting a new attorney after the old one retired.

Police have not found any new evidence yet in the Jacobson case. They urge anyone who may have information in the case to come forward.

 

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