Barbara Louise Cotton has been missing from Williston for 40 years. Her case remains unsolved and ongoing 

In interviews with Dakota Spotlight Podcast, the current detectives at Williston Police Department have expressed the following challenges with the present day investigation: 

• Current caseload or workload
• Lack of personal experience into the era of 1981

Logically, a detective juggling several open cases will have less time, energy and focus for Barbara's Cotton's case.  It is also apparent having not been born during the time when this case took place, and not having first hand insight into the time adds an additional layer of challenges for investigators.

It is imperative that the Williston Police Department hire an investigator to focus 100% on Barbara Cotton's case for some time. This investigator might perhaps be a retired detective or some other former law enforcement agent.

Cold Cases and missing persons cases are extremely high interest, and nothing would be better for the Williston Police Department to bring closure to the Cotton Family.  There are likely many retired detectives who would be willing to possibly even work pro-bono.

As witnesses and other individuals associated to Barbara's case continue to grow older, time is of the essence for this to occur. 

With the current case load at Williston PD, private persons, volunteers and the Dakota Spotlight Podcast are able to request and receive leads, documentation, and research at a more rapid rate than Williston PD.

This situation not fair to the detectives at Williston PD. Nor is it fair to the Cotton family or the community of Williston. 

It is imperative that the Williston PD hire a dedicated investigator in some capacity to focus solely on Barbara's case immediately, before witnesses and others are deceased; before its just too late.