Finding More info on a Murdered Ancestor

Question

I have a great grandfather who was murdered in 1957. The family says that an arrest was made. How do I find any record of this? All I have is a death certificate that confirms his manner of death.

History Hub Info · Answer

Hello meg7541 
 Thank you for posting your question to History Hub! 
 Speaking generically, the following types of resources may be available: 
 
 Back issues of local newspapers are often available at local libraries, historical societies, online at Chronicling America , and/or in online subscription databases. 
 Police records held by the local police or sheriff department. We suggest that you contact the relevant law enforcement department directly to inquire about the status of their records from the 1950s. Please note that there is no national standard on the retention of police records, therefore we can not guarantee that such records will still be in existence. 
 If an arrest was made and the accused went to trial, the trial would most likely have been held in the local county or municipal criminal court. Court records are typically maintained by the clerk of the court or an equivalent court officer. 
 
 We hope this is helpful with your research!