Gainesville-based website TheColdCases.com becomes national voice for justice
Press release from TheColdCases.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — From a quiet coffee shop in Gainesville to national search results and major media mentions, TheColdCases.com has officially become a national brand in investigative journalism and cold case advocacy.
Founded by veteran, writer, and entrepreneur Dustin Terry, TheColdCases.com is now generating over 1,600 daily impressions in Google search, appearing in 356 unique search queries every 24 hours, and has over 150 indexed pages — all pointing to its explosive organic growth. Once a local project, the platform is now a recognized name in national true crime reporting.
Dustin Terry, a U.S. Air Force veteran and former child welfare specialist, launched the site as a way to give voice to the forgotten — those lost in cold case files and missing persons reports. He draws from a deep well of personal experience, trauma, and advocacy to tell stories that many outlets overlook.
The site’s credibility has been cemented with coverage by the Associated Press and a profile in Deseret News, highlighting the impact of its reporting on families and the broader conversation around unsolved cases.
But it’s the human stories that define the site’s mission.
In an exclusive interview, TheColdCases.com spoke with the family of Deanna Merryfield, a Texas girl who disappeared in 1990 and whose case has haunted her sister for decades. The raw emotion and enduring pain of her loved ones were brought to life in a way that few outlets have done.
The site also featured a heart-wrenching interview with the family of Eric Franks, who vanished from Michigan in 2011. Their suspicions about law enforcement missteps, and the shocking discovery of Eric’s car years later, show how families often have to be their own investigators when the system fails.
Most recently, TheColdCases.com covered the story of Diana Ramos, a flight attendant who was murdered in 2023 — and in a stunning development, the site’s coverage outperformed even The Independent in search rankings, bringing new national attention to her unsolved case.
Terry’s work isn’t just digital storytelling — it’s digital advocacy. Through detailed case write-ups, podcast episodes, and video content, he is building a new kind of media company: one that blurs the lines between investigative journalism, activism, and justice.
“The goal isn’t just traffic. The goal is to help solve these cases,” Terry said. “Every article is written with the families in mind. Every interview is a chance to say, ‘You are not forgotten.’”
TheColdCases.com continues to scale — with projections showing the site could reach 50,000 monthly visitors by early 2026 — and it’s all rooted in Gainesville, Florida.
“This project was born here, and it still carries that hometown grit and drive,” Terry said. “I hope Gainesville knows that what started locally is now giving families across the country a platform to be heard.”
To explore the stories or support the project, visit: www.TheColdCases.com