ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — Solving homicide cases can take months or even years and as cases pile on, efforts to close them get tougher.
In a year with more than sixty homicides, Allegheny County detectives found a way to close the vast majority, outpacing neighboring agencies and current national standards.
“When we get input and information from the community, our solve rate goes way up,” said Assistant Superintendent Victor Joseph.
He knows good police work only goes so far and said the department has been investing in community relations and efforts to build trust.
“The more cooperation and help we get from the community, the more successful our detectives are,” Joseph said.
The county’s homicide detectives found a lot of success during a violent 2024. County police investigated 64 homicides and solved 81% of them. That solve rate is nearly 25 points higher than the national average of 57.8%, as tracked by the FBI.
Joseph said community cooperation and technology are a big part of what is working well.
“Technology today plays a huge role, each year more and more,” he said. “We try to exploit the technology to help solve our cases.”
They use images and data from cell phones, vehicles, surveillance cameras and license plate readers to connect the dots.
2024 also came with unique challenges like a mass shooting inside a crowded Ballers Hookah Lounge in Penn Hills. The shooting left two people dead and seven hurt.
Weeks later, police charged a security guard in one of the deaths.
When asked how many shooters there were, Joseph said the case remains open so he cannot elaborate on specifics. He did, however, praise the work of his detectives in piecing together what happened and making one arrest.
The department is also leaning into efforts to engage the public. It launched a monthly cold case series on Facebook last year, highlighting cases like the Christmas Day shooting death of 23-year-old Ryan Main. He died in Clairton in 2023.
“Maybe somebody’s circumstances have changed and now they feel more comfortable reaching out or giving information,” Joseph said. “If you have information, get it to us. Call our tip line… If you had that business card tucked in your door, call that detective.”
He believes the public and community trust is key in building on recent success and closing cases that remain unsolved.
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