AUGUSTA — The state attorney general said a victim advocate position is being added to a forthcoming state cold case unit that was approved earlier this year.

State Sen. Linda Valentino, D-Saco, sponsored a bill, LD 1121, “An Act To Fund the Cold Case Homicide Unit in the Department of the Attorney General.”

The Legislature funded the cold case squad in this fiscal year’s budget, which took effect July 1, but the squad is not fully formed, according to The Associated Press. Annual costs have been estimated to be about $500,000 and would include two state police detectives and one forensic chemist.

Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said in a statement last week that in addition to the state police positions funded for the unit, the unit will have a victim advocate position, which will serve as a liaison between families of homicide victims and the state police. The victim advocate will be funded through a grant, according to the statement.

Valentino said in the statement that she was happy to hear about the new victim advocate, but the state police needed to finish filling the positions for the squad to get the unit “up and running as soon as possible.

“Some families have already waited decades to find closure. We funded this unit, and it needs to get off the ground,” she said.

The Maine State Police lists on its webpage 70 unsolved homicides dating back to 1971.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected]. The Associated Press contributed to this story.