Oklahoma lawmakers and law enforcement officials discussed creating a statewide system to improve coordination among the agencies handling the state’s 463 cold cases at the Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The discussions focused on how missing or unshared information can hinder investigations, including cases involving unidentified remains. Dr. Sarah Getz, a forensic anthropologist with the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said gaps in reporting by law enforcement, educational institutions and missing-persons agencies can keep information from being entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs. That can make it harder to compare missing-person reports with unidentified remains, officials said. Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Director Greg Mashburn said the state lacks a complete accounting of its cold cases, despite the bureau’s regular case reviews. He suggested requiring agencies to report cold cases to one central location. Officials also discussed a statewide clearinghouse to track cases and identify possible links, as well as a board that could coordinate efforts and help families pursue case reviews without taking control of investigations. Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado said agencies’ failure to share information is a major obstacle. Officials also cited limited staffing and the expense of specialized testing as challenges, particularly for smaller departments. State Sen. Carri Hicks, a Democrat from Oklahoma City, said communication and collaboration emerged as central themes in the discussion. Lawmakers are still working through how a statewide system could share information and address resource shortages. It could be established during the next legislative session, which begins early next year.