Solving Cold Cases with LexisNexis® Accurint® LE Plus

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Security & Public Safety

Applicable Functions

Business Operation
Field Services

Use Cases

Predictive Maintenance
Remote Asset Management
Track & Trace of Assets

Services

Data Science Services
System Integration

The Challenge

The investigation into Isadore Pacht's homicide was stalled early due to a lack of cooperation from a key witness and the inability to locate another crucial witness who had relocated. Over the years, the case was periodically reviewed but with no new leads, it remained unsolved. In 2005, the case was reassigned to the Cold Case Squad by the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office at the request of the Governor's Office. Detectives faced significant challenges, including the lack of forensic evidence and the difficulty in locating witnesses due to incomplete records.

About The Customer

Isadore Pacht was a concentration camp survivor who relocated to the United States with his wife after losing a daughter to the Nazis. He operated a men’s clothing store in the Bronx, New York, for approximately 20 years. On December 18, 1971, Pacht was fatally shot during a robbery at his store. His children, Miriam and Harry Pacht, spent 34 years seeking justice for their father. The case was eventually assigned to the 48th Precinct New York City Detective Squad by the Governor's Office, leading to its resolution.

The Solution

Detectives used LexisNexis® Accurint® LE Plus to locate witnesses and gather crucial information. The tool's ability to conduct name searches with common sense parameters and phonetic differentiation helped identify witnesses, even when names were recorded incorrectly. Accurint LE Plus also located an associate of a key witness who had relocated, leading detectives to her. The tool's associate and relative linking features were instrumental in obtaining a confession from one of the suspects. Additionally, Accurint LE Plus provided addresses and other relevant information that facilitated the arrest of the suspects.

Operational Impact

Accurint LE Plus made locating hard-to-find persons of interest quick and easy, even when they had common names.
The tool's associate and relative linking features were crucial in identifying and obtaining a confession from one of the suspects.
Accurint LE Plus turned an apparently impossible task into something very basic and routine, significantly aiding the investigation.

Quantitative Benefit

The case, which had been cold for 34 years, was solved within a year of using Accurint LE Plus.
Accurint LE Plus helped locate three key witnesses almost immediately.
The tool provided an address for one suspect, leading to his arrest at a homeless shelter in Stamford, Connecticut.