Solved Case: Homicide of Cynthia Renae Rodgers

12/03/2025

NBC 4 News Coverage of plea bargain and sentencing hearing on 12/3/25.

12/03/2025

NBC4 News Coverage: "Man Takes Plea in 1989 Murder of Forestvillle Woman"

05/12/2025

Project Cold Case Update

05/12/2025

𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 - Cynthia Rodgers was a 27-year-old biologist researching Parkinson's disease at the National Institutes of Health when she was killed on January 22, 1989.

On March 14, 2022, the Prince George's County Police Department announced that James Clinton Cole had been arrested in connection to this case. Cole is currently in prison, serving time for ra**ng a child in 1996.

“The burden has been lifted to a certain point,” Phillip Rodgers, Cynthia's brother told NBC Washington. “There will never be total healing because of the incident altogether, but we have some relief.”

We applaud the Prince George's County Police Department for their extensive investigation and continued prosecution in this case, taking more dangerous persons out of our neighborhoods and bringing the Rodgers family some justice.

We celebrate all positive developments in a case with our submitted-case families. We encourage families to relay any updates in their loved one's case with us whenever they occur. These stories offer hope to many others struggling with unsolved cases.

10/23/2023

Join the Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center (MCVRC) for the 2023 Ceremony of Remembrance, a heartfelt event dedicated to honoring and remembering our loved ones. Come and pay tribute to those who have left a lasting impact on our lives.

Event Details:
Date: Saturday, November 4, 2023
Prince George’s County Courthouse Garden of Remembrance
Judges Drive (facing Route 4), Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
Registration: 9:30am; Program: 10:00am

Reception (Immediately Following)
Prince George's FOP Lodge
2905 Old Largo Road
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

This year, Peace Pillows will be providing FREE comfort pillows, free of charge. To place an order for a pillow, please send a picture of your loved one including their name, date of birth and date of death by October 27th via email to [email protected] or [email protected] or via text to 301-509-4524. For more information or to RSVP go to:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-ceremony-of-remembrance-tickets-731350437847?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join us for our Annual Ceremony of Remembrance as we honor those lost through criminal violence.

03/21/2022

~PGPD Charges Suspect for 1989 Homicide Cold Case~
The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Cold Case Unit charged a suspect in connection with an unsolved 1989 murder in Forestville. He is 64-year-old James Clinton Cole. He’s charged with the murder and sexual assault of 27-year-old Cynthia Rodgers of Forestville. Cole is currently in custody in Cumberland, MD. He is serving a life sentence from an unrelated first-degree r**e conviction.

On January 27, 1989, Rodgers was located deceased in a wooded area in the 6000 block of Surrey Square Lane Service Road in Forestville suffering from head trauma and sexual assault. The medical examiner determined the cause of death as strangulation with blunt force trauma to the head and neck and the manner was ruled a homicide.

On January 24, 2022, Cold Case Unit detectives had evidence in the case retested, which thanks to advancements in DNA technology, produced a complete unidentified male profile. A search of the State of Maryland DNA database resulted in a positive match to Cole. Detectives have uncovered no evidence that Cole and Rodgers were known to each other.
Cole is charged with first-degree murder, r**e first degree and several other charges.

https://www.facebook.com/pgcrimesolvers/photos/a.10151264945338519/10159267657738519/

PGPD Charges Suspect for 1989 Homicide Cold Case

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Cold Case Unit charged a suspect in connection with an unsolved 1989 murder in Forestville. He is 64-year-old James Clinton Cole. He’s charged with the murder and sexual assault of 27-year-old Cynthia Rodgers of Forestville. Cole is currently in custody in Cumberland, MD. He is serving a life sentence from an unrelated first degree r**e conviction.

On January 27, 1989, Rodgers was located deceased in a wooded area in the 6000 block of Surrey Square Lane Service Road in Forestville. She was suffering from trauma and she had been sexually assaulted. The medical examiner determined the cause of death as strangulation with blunt force trauma to her head and neck and the manner was ruled a homicide.

On January 24, 2022, Cold Case Unit detectives had evidence in the case retested, which thanks to advancements in DNA technology, produced a complete unidentified male profile. A search of the State of Maryland DNA database resulted in a positive match to Cole. Detectives have uncovered no evidence that Cole and Rodgers were known to each other.

Cole is charged with first degree murder, r**e first degree and several other charges.

03/21/2022

Prince George's County woman's 1989 murder solved, police say
64-year-old James Cole is charged with the crimes against 27-year-old Cynthia Rodgers.

64-year-old James Cole is charged with the crimes against 27-year-old Cynthia Rodgers.

03/18/2022

FYI. This case will be featured on CBS (Channel 9 ) tonight after the basketball game. If you’re outside of the local area, you may stream the show by going to wusa9.com and clicking on Watch>Watch Live.

Police say the man wanted in five shootings, two of them homicides, between the two cities was picked up in the 2700 block of Pennsylvania Ave SE

03/18/2022

03/18/2022

03/17/2022

~PGPD Charges Suspect for 1989 Homicide Cold Case~

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Cold Case Unit charged a suspect in connection with an unsolved 1989 murder in Forestville. He is 64-year-old James Clinton Cole. He’s charged with the murder and sexual assault of 27-year-old Cynthia Rodgers of Forestville. Cole is currently in custody in Cumberland, MD. He is serving a life sentence from an unrelated first degree r**e conviction.

If anyone has information relevant to this investigation, they are asked to please call detectives at 301-516-2512. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device.)

https://pgpolice.blogspot.com/2022/03/pgpd-charges-suspect-for-1989-homicide.html