WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- "I'm just an old school cops reporter," said Laura Amico as she stood outside DC Superior Court on Thursday.
Amico may be old school at heart, but her work is something brand new to the District.
"When I moved out to DC about a year and a half ago, I was looking for crime coverage and homicide coverage, and I wasn't seeing the completeness of coverage that I was looking for," said Amico.
So Amico started the blog Homicide Watch DC. It's an online reporting project documenting every aspect of every homicide in the District.
"On Homicide Watch, you're going to see what's would be in a reporter's clip file covering a case," explains Amico. "You're going to see links to all the obituaries and memorials. You're going to see charging documents, arrest warrants, whatever information there is on the case."
Until Homicide Watch DC came along, that type of information has been very difficult for the families of homicide victims to find. Now they're actually some of the biggest users on the site.
Take for instance, a woman who calls herself "Lady M" on Homicide Watch DC. She lost her cousin in 2009 and said, "I just wanted to thank you for being a voice for the ones who lost their lives...and for the families who sometimes wait in vain for answers."
Getting those answers takes time.
"Busy days are about 10 hours," said Amico.
For now, Amico does it all for free.
"Right now there is no revenue stream. There needs to be in the next 6-9 months," said Amico. "I love being a cops reporter. I love doing this work. And putting in the effort up front is worth it to me."