PSU Magazine Winter 2005

Bringing closure to unsolved homicides is the new job and passion of this alumnus. from investigators in other cities where D A evidence has solved old cases and finally brought closure to the victims' families. For other cases, however, Svilar will rely on his two decades of experience in police work. He has worked patrols, narcotics, tactical response, sexual assault, robbery, and homicide. B eing a homicide detective was the hardest. Svilar says he will never forget the case that he calls "the straw that broke the camel's back.'' Svilar and his partner were called om to investigate the death of a five– year-old boy. They discovered the boys father had accidentally electrocuted him while working on some sort of experiment. The victim in the case looked just like vilars own son at the time. He says, "The similarities were amazing." The father was devastated by the accident, yet he had to be charged and prosecuted for negligent homicide. vilar left homicide after that case. He still doesn't like to talk much about it. He moved on to robbery, which he calls "a great job." vilar and his team of robbery detectives got creative when it came to busting burglars. When he heard about a string of robberies in a precinct, Svilar wouldn't wait for the robbers Lo strike again-he would go out and find them. His team would stake out a business or home they thought might be robbed next and often they discov– ered they were right. "Several times we got these guys as they were about to rob a joint." vilar enjoyed the teamwork when he worked robbery. He credits his co– workers with making him passionate about his job. ow, as he takes the helm at the Cold Case Homicide Unit, Svilar once again finds himself energized by his team. "l see my job more as a coach for the team." Two of his team members, detec– tive Cheryl Kanzler and Robbie Thompson, a seasoned investigator from the District Attorney's office, are fellow PSU grads. The team also includes an FBI agent. Together they have been sifting through decades' worth of police reports, witness accounts, photographs, and evidence. There have been a lot of roundtable discussions about new ways LO solve old cases. The team is limited to a 9 to 5 schedule, which is a frustration for Svilar. Unlike robbery and homicide, there's just no room in the cold case budget for overtime. Svilar says that may soon change. lf his unit re ·eives a government grant, he can fund over– time for his investigators and for technicians in the crime lab. Svilar has had to rein him elf in more than once. He meets families of victims and wants to rush out to solve their cases. He is learning to be patient. e realizes it will take a lot of cre– ative detective work to solve cases like the murder of an 11-year-old boy named Joshua Jeffries. Three years ago last August, Jeffries' family left the back door of their Southeast Portland cottage open to let in the cool night air. A gunman also came in. He went to the room where Jeffries was sleeping and shot the boy once in the back. Then he vanished. "There's not much evidence," vilar notes. "There are no witnesses." Svilar wants LO pro\ 'i.de answers for Jeffries' family. He won't say much about the investigation, e cept that his team has "some theories." ln unsolved cases like the Joshua Jeffries murder, and in the 45 unsolved gang murders in the city of Portland, Svilar and his team of investigators plan LO go looking for answers. D (Anna Johns is a freelance writer based in Beaverton.) WINTER 2005 PSU MAGAZINE 17