The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety will hit the airwaves tonight to help solve last month's assault of an MSU student held at knife point.
On Jan. 30, two men posing as charity solicitors threatened Case Hall resident Jonathan Martone with a knife in his room.
Matt Vennettilli, Martone's roommate, entered the room and struck one of the intruders, causing the knife to drop. The second intruder attempted to strike Vennettilli with a small baseball bat. He blocked the blow with his arm and the intruders ran toward the elevator exit.
In response to the incident, housing officials began locking down the hall at 9 p.m. rather than midnight, and the case was forwarded to the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office.
"The more exposure the better," Vennettilli said. "So obviously if they can get those guys' faces out there and the situation out, there will be a better chance of them to get caught."
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor forwarded the case to Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan this week, and the case will air at 6 and 11 p.m. on WLNS-TV.
In December, after Crime Stoppers aired a case involving someone fondling women on MSU's campus, a viewer turned in a name and other details to police. Department officials coordinated a photo lineup and a victim was able to pick out the suspect.
In 2002, Crime Stoppers arrested 103 out of 114 felony fugitives whose cases aired and recovered approximately $42,000 worth of stolen property and drugs.
Vennettilli said people he knows won't be able to provide any additional information, but he'll still tell friends, family and acquaintances to watch.
"It would be the random person watching it to say, 'Hey those guys look really familiar,'" he said. "I think people are still interested in it, and I think it's something that should be exposed to the public."
McGlothian-Taylor, who's in charge of forwarding cases to Crime Stoppers on behalf of the department, said the chances of catching criminals increase once a case is aired.
"Every crime is a serious event," she said. "However, when you have crimes where weapons might have been used, that's when we really need to get the people off the street."
Those giving information leading to arrests are given rewards, but Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan President Gary Arnold said the success rate is decided by viewers.
"It's surprising," he said. "A good percent that appear on TV actually turn themselves in within three days."
