As an Instructor of Forensic Science at The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security, Ms. Kristi Johnson, utilizes her education and practical experience to instruct students in introductory and advanced forensic topics.  Ms. Johnson’s practical experience stems from 12 years as a Crime Scene Investigator and Evidence Custodian on the MS Gulf Coast.  As a CSI, Ms. Johnson spearheaded efforts to advance investigative techniques for cold cases, especially missing and unidentified persons, across the coast and beyond and continues these efforts at USM.  She is a board member for the Mississippi Division of the International Association for Identification, a professional organization for law enforcement and forensic scientists.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Lori Massey is the CEO of Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers and a member of the Mississippi Crime Stoppers Advisory Board. On a national level, Lori serves as Secretary for CSUSA, and in the past, she has held the position of Regional Director for Regions 5 (MS, AL & LA) and 6 (KY, TN, AR). In 2020, she was honored with the Crime Stoppers USA Chairman’s Award.

As a frequent speaker at community events and conferences, she is dedicated to educating people on the operations of Crime Stoppers. She played a crucial role in initiating the University Cold Case Project on the Coast. She considers securing the state’s first Community and Crime Fighting kiosks, along with implementing the Cold Case Playing Cards for inmates, as her most significant accomplishments to date. As a trainer at the Harrison County Law Enforcement Training Academy, she addresses cadets regarding the mission of Crime Stoppers.

Lori serves on the boards of the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence, Tunnels to Towers Biloxi, and Reunite Mississippi.

Chief Keyes began his law enforcement career in 1990 as a patrolman with the Hattiesburg Police Department after graduating from the Hattiesburg Police Academy. Over his 35+ years in the field, he served in various roles, including narcotics agent, street crimes officer, detective, and lieutenant. In 2005, he became a Patrol Shift Commander until 2006, when he joined the University of Southern Mississippi Police Department as the founding director of the Cold Case Unit, C.A.T.S. He was promoted to Detective Captain and later to Assistant Chief of Police in 2018. In 2019, he was appointed Assistant Vice President for Public Safety/Chief of Police.

Chief Keyes received several honors, including the USM Gold Leaf Award in 2015 and the Special Service Award in 2017. He holds an Instructor Certificate from the Mississippi Board on Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training and was named Hattiesburg PD’s Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 1993 and 1995. He serves on the boards of the Mississippi Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Hattiesburg Rape Crisis Center.

Msgt. Christa Groom is a 20-year Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer with 17 of those years Investigating Felony Crimes, including Homicides and Crimes Against Children.  She is currently assigned to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Cold Case Unit, Southern Region, as a Special Agent. She works closely with the Mississippi Medical Examiners Office on the Interagency Cold Case Task Force in assisting in the identification of unidentified human remains. As a part of this collaboration, in 2022 and 2024, she was successful in recovering several dozen sets of Unidentified Human Remains unlawfully donated to an out of state university for teaching specimens.

Hunter is a forensic autopsy technician and the forensic anthropologist at the Dekalb County Medical Examiner’s Office in Georgia. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Anthropology from the University of Southern Mississippi and is currently attending Georgia State University to obtain his Master of Arts in Anthropology.

Hunter developed and published an Honors thesis titled "Adults Matter Too: An Examination of State Adult Missing Persons Policies and Procedures to Implement a Best Practices Handbook." This work, which addresses the adult missing person epidemic, provides a comprehensive handbook to aid investigators in locating missing adults and includes an extensive resource guide. The thesis earned the prestigious Excellence in Research Award from the Honors College and was presented at the Mississippi Division of the International Association for Identification conference in April 2024.