DOC hopes playing cards draw closure to homicide cases

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Indiana Department of Correction is once again counting on a deck of playing cards to help solve homicides.

Only inmates in Indiana's 27 prisons can purchase the cards. The deck profiles 52 unsolved homicides and missing person cases from around the state.

They are the faces of people murdered and missing across Indiana. Each victim on the cards features information about their case and the crime. The cards will soon be distributed to Indiana prisoners in the hopes of getting them to talk.

"He may know of something, one small clue that might provide a way for law enforcement to solve a crime," said Doug Garrison with the Department of Correction.

The six and seven of spades feature the murders of Blake and Chynna Dickus of Franklin. Both were killed in their home in 2006. Their case remains unsolved.

The nine of diamonds is the case of Joyce Parham of Indianapolis.

"For her to have a place on a diamond card, that means the world to me because I know that it's a mark," said Audrey Wilcox, Parham's daughter.

Parham was found in her east side home in 2007 after a fire. An autopsy confirmed the fire didn't kill her.

"To find closure would be peace," Wilcox said.

Wilcox talked with 24-Hour News 8 about her mother's murder. She believes there's still hope finding the killer.

"I think it's an effective tool to be able to say we haven't given up yet," she said.

DOC officials are hoping the 51 other families will feel the same. They are hoping someone with the right hand comes forward with information.

"Even if it doesn't immediately solve a crime, it's important for us, I think, that the families of these victim's know that law enforcement still cares," said Garrison.

DOC officials said the deck of playing cards will cost a prisoner $1.50.

When the DOC issued the first addition of playing cards, they received a number of tips but those tips did not solve a case.

To see the victims on the second addition, visit the Department of Corrections website .

Three of clubs case remains unsolved

In 2002, I-Team 8 highlighted the case of Lola Katherine Fry eight years ago. She's the three of clubs in the cold case cards.

Fry disappeared in November 1993, the day she was to give a final deposition in a class action lawsuit against an Indianapolis plastic surgeon.

I-Team 8 learned her ex-boyfriend was one of the last to see her. He declined to talk on camera at the time, but I-Team 8 learned he failed two polygraph tests.

The case still remains unsolved.