CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A civic leader on Charleston's East End urged witnesses to "do the right thing" Tuesday as Charleston police announced a renewed effort to solve two old homicide cases.

Police have assigned two detectives -- Cpl. Eric Smith and Detective Jarl Taylor -- to work full time on the August 2007 shooting of 17-year-old Leland Chace Miller on Lewis Street and the October 2008 death of Elwood Pegram, 38, who was shot at least four times while sitting in his SUV on Stockton Street.

Witnesses may have seen both shootings but have declined to talk to police. In the Miller case, police arrested a juvenile suspect but released him two months later when witnesses refused to testify against him.

"The only reason these cases weren't solved is people don't come forward," the Rev. Lloyd Hill said Tuesday afternoon at the Roosevelt Neighborhood Center. Hill, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, said he volunteers at the East End center, working with kids.

When Miller was shot in the back nearly two years ago, police said about 20 people were in the immediate vicinity. But police and neighbors said witnesses were unwilling to speak up or get involved.

"Most of our kids are tied up in their no-snitch rule," Hill said Tuesday. "We want people to have the courage to come forward. That's the only way these things will stop, when people have the courage to do the right thing.

"Chace was one of the good kids in our community. His family, they came to us, became members of our congregation. We've been by their side ever since."

Smith and Taylor have been working on the two cases for a while, although police formally announced the effort Tuesday, said Sgt. Steve Cooper, chief of detectives with the Charleston Police Department.

"After a period of time that's gone by, we feel a window of opportunity has opened on these two cases," Cooper said. "Two cases is about the limit we can reasonably investigate at one time. But there's nothing that says we won't solve other unsolved homicides. It's possible information could come up on the other cases."

Police have made arrests in all but four of 27 homicides within the city since August 2004, Cooper said. In 14 cases, arrests led to convictions, according to a list Cooper e-mailed to the Gazette.

The two other unsolved cases are the July 2006 execution-style shooting of Hakeem Brown on Jackson Street and the October 2005 death of Jody Dwayne Gray at Washington Manor. Police arrested an 18-year-old suspect in Gray's shooting but the case was later shelved because of "witness issues."

Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5102.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A civic leader on Charleston's East End urged witnesses to "do the right thing" Tuesday as Charleston police announced a renewed effort to solve two old homicide cases.

Police have assigned two detectives -- Cpl. Eric Smith and Detective Jarl Taylor -- to work full time on the August 2007 shooting of 17-year-old Leland Chace Miller on Lewis Street and the October 2008 death of Elwood Pegram, 38, who was shot at least four times while sitting in his SUV on Stockton Street.

Witnesses may have seen both shootings but have declined to talk to police. In the Miller case, police arrested a juvenile suspect but released him two months later when witnesses refused to testify against him.

"The only reason these cases weren't solved is people don't come forward," the Rev. Lloyd Hill said Tuesday afternoon at the Roosevelt Neighborhood Center. Hill, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, said he volunteers at the East End center, working with kids.

When Miller was shot in the back nearly two years ago, police said about 20 people were in the immediate vicinity. But police and neighbors said witnesses were unwilling to speak up or get involved.

"Most of our kids are tied up in their no-snitch rule," Hill said Tuesday. "We want people to have the courage to come forward. That's the only way these things will stop, when people have the courage to do the right thing.

"Chace was one of the good kids in our community. His family, they came to us, became members of our congregation. We've been by their side ever since."

Smith and Taylor have been working on the two cases for a while, although police formally announced the effort Tuesday, said Sgt. Steve Cooper, chief of detectives with the Charleston Police Department.

"After a period of time that's gone by, we feel a window of opportunity has opened on these two cases," Cooper said. "Two cases is about the limit we can reasonably investigate at one time. But there's nothing that says we won't solve other unsolved homicides. It's possible information could come up on the other cases."

Police have made arrests in all but four of 27 homicides within the city since August 2004, Cooper said. In 14 cases, arrests led to convictions, according to a list Cooper e-mailed to the Gazette.

The two other unsolved cases are the July 2006 execution-style shooting of Hakeem Brown on Jackson Street and the October 2005 death of Jody Dwayne Gray at Washington Manor. Police arrested an 18-year-old suspect in Gray's shooting but the case was later shelved because of "witness issues."

Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5102.