ASHBURN, Va. -
Loudoun County's Sheriff has a plan which he hopes will finally solve the murder of 14-year-old Erica Smith.
The teenager disappeared ten years ago, and was found dead eleven days later.
Sheriff Michael Chapman announced details of his new cold case initiative at the County's first ever Child Victim Awareness day in Ashburn.
He says Erica Smith's unsolved murder is the perfect case for his new cold case squad.
Detectives have already started reviewing leads and re-interviewing witnesses in her unsolved murder.
"We believe this was not a random act of violence, but rather, Erica knew her assailant,"Chapman says.
35-year police veteran, Major Richie Fiono heads the new cold case unit, focusing on closing unsolved murders in Loudoun County, some dating back to 1969.
He says the public has a role to play.
"I'm asking you to reach out to your family, friends, and acquaintances, and trust your detectives. We know there's information out there We don't have yet, "Fiono says.
The new focus on Erica's case is welcome news to her parents.
"We feel extremely hopeful, because of the expertise and resources now devoted to our daughter's investigation," William Smith says.
Child Victim Awareness Day wasn't just about Erica Smith. It was one stop shopping for any parent looking for the latest innovations to keep track of their children.
The FBI's free Child ID APP is one of them.
"The best thing about this is parents can store current photos of their children right on their phone so they are easily accessible in an emergency," Special Agent Jill Blackman says.
The APP also has an instant hookup with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
If these innovations were available when Erica went missing, the outcome might have been different.
Sheriff Chapman believes his cold case squad will make a difference and help detectives finally close the case. The office now has a tipline website dedicated to Erica's case. You can leave tips at www.loudoun.gov/ericasmith.
The public can phone in tips to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at 703-777-1919 or to Crimesolvers at 1-877-777-1931.
There is still a reward available for information that helps solve this ten year old murder.
