Before I wish everyone happy holidays, I want to note that one of the creepiest serial killers in my lifetime, Rodney Alcala, just pled guilty to the 1971 murder of Cornelia Crilley and the 1977 murder of Ellen Hover. (If you are not familiar with him, google his name, but wait until after the holidays. It’s an ugly story.)

I want to thank the Manhattan District Attorney’s Forensic Sciences/Cold Case Unit, Assistant District Attorneys Melissa Mourges, Chief of the Forensic Science/Cold Case Unit, Martha Bashford, Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit, Alex Spiro, and Detectives Wendell Stradford, Robert Dewhurst, and (ret.) Stefano Braccini of the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad. There’s more information in the DAs press release here.

I know there’s no such thing as closure, but if one of the things we can do for the friends and family of the victims is to allow them to see at least some justice served, then you all have certainly done the best that could be done for them.

As always, I’m posting this very old picture of someone from the NYPD coming out of a helicopter dressed as Santa. Yes, it’s a little sad with the World Trade Center towers in the background, but come on. This is pretty cool. I wonder where they were off to.