Aaron Benzick

Work smarter not harder. 💪🏼 AI makes tedious mundane tasks a thing of the past and I'm excited to use that power to help victims and their families! Do you know of a missing person or murder victim not in our Solve the Case database? Try Penny to easily create a new case.

DA Greg Willis’s Office Secures Life Sentence for Serial Child Predator in 1991 Cold Case Collin County Criminal District Attorney Greg Willis announced that Nicholas Carney, 65, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a Collin County jury of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced to life in prison for the August 1991 kidnapping and sexual assault of an eight-year-old child in Plano, Texas. The Crime On August 15, 1991, an eight-year-old child was kidnapped by a stranger in Plano while walking with a friend to a community pool. Over the course of several hours, the child was sexually assaulted before being released approximately 20 miles from her home. When the child was located, detectives and medical personnel collected DNA evidence. The child’s friend worked with Plano Texas Police Department Detective Larry Wilson to create a composite sketch of the perpetrator. Despite extensive efforts by multiple law-enforcement agencies, no suspect was identified at the time and the case went cold. DNA evidence was later submitted to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science (SWIFS) in Dallas. In 2004, SWIFS developed a DNA profile of the perpetrator, which was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Although no suspect was identified, the profile was linked to an unsolved sexual assault case in Dallas. Investigators determined that on March 25, 1999, a nine-year-old child was kidnapped in Dallas while walking home from school with a friend. That child was sexually assaulted over several hours before being released approximately 40 miles away. DNA evidence was collected, and the child’s friend assisted ATF Agent Sharon Whittaker in creating a composite sketch. That case also remained unsolved. The Investigation In 2023, @PlanoPoliceDept Detective Aaron Benzick, @DallasPD Detective Elizabeth DeAngelis, and Texas Ranger Jason Shea reopened the cases and submitted the DNA evidence for forensic investigative genetic genealogy analysis. Investigators learned that Nicholas Carney lived in the Dallas area at the time of both offenses, drove vehicles consistent with the descriptions provided by the victims, and possessed driver’s license photographs consistent with the composite sketches. Working with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, detectives obtained a DNA sample from Carney. Testing confirmed that Carney’s DNA matched the perpetrator’s DNA in both the 1991 Plano case and the 1999 Dallas case. Carney was arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Further investigation revealed that in 1980, while working as an ice-cream truck driver in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Carney was convicted of exposing himself to a six-year-old child and attempting to lure the child into his vehicle. The Verdict and Sentence After hearing the evidence, a Collin County jury found Carney guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced him to life in prison. The jury also assessed a $34 fine - one dollar for each year the crime went unsolved. Judge Richard Davis presided. Statement from DA Greg Willis “My office is here to protect children and remove dangerous predators from our communities. We will pursue these offenders as long as it takes so families can live in peace and children can grow up safe,” said Willis following the verdict. Prosecution Team Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Ashleigh Woodall and Ann Mathew prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Laurie Gibbs and Victim Assistance Coordinator Valerie Miller. collincountyda.com/da-greg-willis… #PursuingJustice #ProtectingOurCommunity #CollinCountyDA #CollinCounty

Grateful for my outstanding prosecutors Ashleigh Woodall and Ann Mathew, who built on the truly stellar work of @PlanoPoliceDept Det. @abenzick

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and his courage and commitment to justice. He showed the world that strength can be rooted in love, and real change requires conviction and empathy. Grateful for the reminder to keep making our communities better than we found them.

Media is key in solving cold cases. 📺📰 KRQE shares Nancy Craddock’s 1980 disappearance: krqe.com/news/new-mexic… Taos News continues her story: taosnews.com/news/local-new… This #NationalColdCaseMonth, share cases like Nancy’s.

I started a hobby project to teach myself AI and machine learning using a topic I'm passionated about, football! Presenting.... Aaron's Prediction Engine (ape.aaronbenzick.com) Next up, machine learning years of data I've been collecting to fine tune the predictions. 😎🏈

🕊️ Did you know? Many unidentified persons who eventually get their names back were never reported missing in the first place. Far too often, families assume their loved one left to start a new life and didn’t want contact. What if they were were actually victims of crime—remaining unidentified for years or decades? 👉🏻 If you have a family member who hasn’t been seen or heard from in the past decade, it’s okay to report them missing to law enforcement. Your report could be the key to reconnecting their identity. Let’s change the pattern. Don’t wait. Speak up. Your voice may help return someone’s name. #NationalColdCaseMonth #SolveTheCase #ShareToSolve

🚨 We are officially kicking off National Cold Case Month! 🚨 All September we’re shining a light on unsolved murders, missing and unidentified persons, and fugitives. Want to help? Visit nationalcoldcasemonth.org to see how families, law enforcement, media, and cyber‑sleuths can get involved today. Share a case. Tell a story. Review evidence. Every action counts. #nationalcoldcasemonth #solvethecase #sharetosolve

Dallas friends, these tattoos are detailed! Let's help bring her name back to her!

These 100% blackout shades by @UBLOCKOUT are no joke. Good night, I probably won’t be waking up until next Thursday.

(Lake Elmo, MN) Missing 19-year-old Susan Swedell had left work and likely had her car sabotaged with a leaking radiator during a blizzard. Other girls were likely contacted by this suspect in the area! @WashingtonCoMN @starry4sheriff solvethecase.org/case/1988-18/s…

Great week of networking with like minded, outside the box thinkers doing the most good for victims and their families!

@jenbucholtzPI @mvacsys Outstanding! I've got some pending work from the mvac as well. It's really opening up some doors for victims on these old cases!

Got to see @mvacsys in action today. We used it on a rope used to bind the wrists of a homicide victim in 1988. Optimistic this technology was able to extract the killer's skin cells from the rope and that we can finally identify the killer.

I joined @LawCrimeNetwork yesterday talking about a case in Tarrant County with @_KennediWalker. You can find the interview here: youtu.be/ydXLB5k2nws

This week, we’re wrapping up Badge Apps training in the Salt Lake City area, made possible by the incredible efforts of Candice Cooley and Dylan’s Legacy. Candice is the mother of Dylan Rounds, who was tragically murdered in 2022. Through her family’s loss, she has found a powerful purpose—ensuring that the investigative tools that led to her son’s recovery and the prosecution of his killer are shared with detectives, strengthening the toolbox we rely on to serve victims and their families. Beyond training, Candice has been instrumental in driving recent legislative changes, helping law enforcement gain clearer access to crucial digital evidence and pushing for stricter penalties for violent offenders. I’m honored to partner with her on this important mission. This week, we were also joined by Jeff Ross and Matthew Anderson, who shared outstanding investigative work that played a key role in solving this case. Their dedication makes the communities they serve safer, and we’re grateful for their contributions. A huge thank you to everyone who participated in this invaluable training session!

I had the privilege of being a guest on Law&Crime today, discussing a recent murder case with @_KennediWalker with @LawCrimeNetwork. Check it out! youtube.com/watch?v=D58W1h…

In recognition for our commitment to building bridges, amplifying critical voices, and fostering collaboration in the pursuit of justice, Solve the Case received an Excellence in Justice Through Partnerships award during he National Missing Person Day event with @searchnrecovery Thank you Nina Brooks!

🕵️‍♂️ Today is National Missing Persons Day 🕵️‍♀️ Every year, thousands of families face the unimaginable heartbreak of a missing loved one. Today, and every day, we stand in solidarity with those families, honoring their strength and resilience. If someone you know is missing, solvethecase.org is a valuable resource to help you take the first steps. Let’s raise awareness, share resources, and support those still searching. Together, we can make a difference. 💙 On National Missing Persons Day, we’d like to highlight Keith Mann who since 1997, is still missing. Who would you like to highlight on this day? #NationalMissingPersonsDay #SolveTheCase #BringThemHome #NeverGiveUp #SharetoSolve

🚨 ATTN Families and Community! 🚨 We’re excited to announce a brand-new feature that will save you time and stress! 🙌 Introducing automatic flyer creation through Solve the Case! 🕵️‍♂️ No more hassle creating flyers – we’ve got you covered! Now, you can generate a custom flyer for every case on our site with just a few clicks and get them posted in your community. 📄✨ Here's what you get: ✅ High-quality PDF flyers perfect for print ✅ JPG image files for sharing virtual flyers on social media 📱 ✅ Low-ink print version – print hundreds of copies without burning through your ink 💡 Let Solve the Case do the hard work for you! 💪 You can find this new feature in the button under the profile picture on a case page. #SolveTheCase #sharetosolve #missingperson #MissingChild

Fugitive Friday: In Houston, TX, Jonathan Figueroa is suspected of killing a young mom and her 23-month old baby and fleeing to Mexico. These murders can't be forgotten! #FugitiveFriday #SolvetheCase #SharetoSolve solvethecase.org/case/2015-11/j…