How special playing cards help solve cold case murders

(NewsNation) — In 2007, a special deck of cards being used by prison inmates helped solve a murder case that had gone cold. Now, corrections facilities around the country are adopting the program.

In prison on cocaine charges, Derek Hamilton was playing cards in Lake City, Florida, when he pulled a seven of clubs with a familiar face on it. It was a picture of Jim Foote, a man he had murdered outside a Fort Myers karaoke bar three years earlier.

"He was gunned down in the parking lot and murdered," said Trish Routte, Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers manager. "There was very little information."

The deck of cards being used by inmates at the prison in Lake City, Florida, was marked with the faces of cold case murder victims.

After seeing Foote's face, Hamilton began to brag to the other inmates about having killed him. Then, one of those inmates sold him out.

"Out of nowhere, a law enforcement agent ended up getting a letter from an inmate fro...