VB Police search for 26 missing people

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - After solving a 11-year-old cold case, Virginia Beach police are eager to look back and pursue more than two dozen missing persons cases.

Virginia Beach Detective Kevin Lokey admits it can be frustrating at times trying to clear missing persons cases.

"We have the standard runaways and missing persons that we get," Lokey said. "They're usually cleared in a couple of days or so but as for the long-term missing, our department currently has 26."

Earlier this week, police positively identified a Virginia Beach man who collapsed at a fast food restaurant in October 2001. After 11 years, they cleared the case of 58-year-old Samuel Barnard. Paint on the handyman's clothing and a friend helped police solve the case.

Lokey said missing persons cases can be difficult to solve.

"You get a lead and you start pursuing it and it looks good and you find nothing," Lokey said. "I compare it to running into brick walls and if you let it discourage you, you will get nowhere."

Police search old files, abandoned vehicle records and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons SYstems (NAMUS) website  for missing people.

"The general public can access this, see all the facts, pictures of the person missing and the circumstances behind their disappearance," Lokey said.

The hope is that people using the website will provide helpful information to police as they try to clear these cases.