In an isolated area of California, Tanton recalls, a woman was found with part of her face lying under some bushes.

CNN: Solving the cold case: Time, DNA and ingenuity can help

"We find time has been an ally, " says Sergeant Bill Tanton, a 23-year veteran of the Sacramento Police Department and a consultant for the California Cold Case Investigation Course, a training program that specializes in solving open cases.

CNN: Solving the cold case: Time, DNA and ingenuity can help

Some groups pushing the restrictionist agenda -- such as NUMBERS USA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies, all of them started with the help of nativist John Tanton -- want to limit legal immigration as well.

CNN: Commentary: Fear of foreigners drives immigration debate