Mineola, NY – The unsolved killing of a 15-year-old rabbinical student found bludgeoned to death in his dormitory at a suburban New York yeshiva in 1986 is receiving renewed attention from homicide detectives.
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“There’s somebody out there that knows a secret,” said Lt. John Azzata, commander of the Nassau County Police homicide squad. “I’m looking for that person to give me that secret.”
Below exclusive video of Nassau Police press confernce. Credit: Mo Gelber/VINNews.com
Flanked by the victim’s father, county officials announced Tuesday they were increasing the reward for information leading to the arrest of Chaim Weiss’ killer from $5,000 to $25,000.
The announcement came at a press conference intended to spark renewed interest in the case, Azzata said, adding that police have already begun to receive telephone tips.
Interest in the case has faded in the more than quarter century since. NBC’s “Unsolved Mysteries” featured it in the early 1990s and articles about the killing have appeared in various publications, but police have yet to unravel the mystery.
Police were quick to note that the reopening of the case was not due to any new evidence that had recently come to light.
“Nothing in particular prompted this,” Detective Sergeant Gregory Quinn told VIN News. “We periodically renew our efforts on older cases and this one just came to light recently.”
Weiss was described at the time as a bright student. He was found bludgeoned to death in his room at a religious school in Long Beach, a Long Island community east of New York City, after he failed to show up for morning prayers.
The Nov. 1, 1986, slaying shocked the Orthodox Jewish community and from the beginning, police have acknowledged having no suspects.
There were no signs that anyone broke into the room.
It was later revealed that the victim’s body had been moved to the floor from his bed, where he is believed to have been slain with a sharp, blunt object. Also, a window in the dormitory room was left open despite late autumn temperatures that hovered in the low 40s. Some have suggested the moving of the body and the opening of the window were somehow related to the young man’s religious faith.
On Tuesday, chief of detectives Rick Capece specifically addressed the Jewish community, saying that detectives were aware that witnesses may be reticent to suggest those who may have been involved in the killing without having “positive proof” of their involvement.
“We are sensitive to and respect that belief,” Capece said. “However a homicide has occurred and we need any information that can help us solve this case and bring justice and peace to the Weiss family.”
Nassau County Police are requesting that anyone who was at the yeshiva at the time of the murder to contact them at 516 573 7788.
In addition to Crime Stoppers flyers detailing known information about the case and asking anyone with any information to call Crime Stoppers or the Nassau County Homicide Squad, the police department also gave out contact information for Rabbi Shmuel Goldin of the Rabbinical Council of America.
“Given our public position concerning coming forward to authorities, particularly in abuse cases, they called and had asked me to make a public statement urging anyone with any information to come forward. Obviously anyone with any information is obligated to speak to the authorities and tell them what they know.”
Rabbi Goldin had originally been scheduled to speak at the press conference but was unable to attend due to a communication error regarding the timing of today’s press conference.
Anton Weiss, the boy’s father, spoke briefly at Tuesday’s news conference but declined to answer any reporter questions, citing a desire to protect his family’s privacy.
He noted his son’s classmates would be in their early 40s by now.
“His classmates by now are married, are parents on their own and understand what it means to be a parent,” Weiss said. “I am appealing to you and urging you in the strongest way, if you have any information that you feel the police might need in this murder investigation, I ask you, I urge you, to please contact the police department.”
Why would they think that those who perpetuated the cover up would talk now?
My husband was there at the time, and he is truly clueless. It was a terrible tragedy. The boys were scared out of their wits. If someone would have known something, I would imagine they couldn’t keep it in for 25+ years.
Did they look thoroughly in house?
There were just too many interesting facts to overlook.
I just wanted to comment re the repeating of the idea that an open window at the scene indicates or implies a Jewish perpetrator.
If you google “customs open window in room with dead body” or “open window in room with dead body”, you will see that such a custom exists in various cultures, not just Jewish. I suspect that if you similarly research regarding having a lit candle there you would get similar results (namely that such a custom exists in various cultures).
Why now? Did some clue evolve (a la Eitan Paetz?) I hope for everyone’s sake, especially his family, the killer is brought to justice. It was a terrible, horrific tragedy.
Is there a way to set up a system so that people can pledge towards a larger reward for information. If someone out there can set it up, with the cooperation of family/police ,I would be the first to pledge $1000.
Yes, but there was a Cover up by the Hanhalah of the Yeshiva at the time. I believe they will make site it continues.
Once again, another example of the overpaid keystone cops from Nassau County. If the victim had been the child of one of their own, those bumbling cops would have spared no resources and would have spent sleepless nights looking for the perp. These cops know how to take care of their own. When it comes to others, ………….
I hope the cops catch the murderer quickly to bring justice and closure to the family and to prevent the killer from hurting anyone else in the future.
I think that the local cops botched this investigation, by not making any headway on it, at the time. It reminds me of another case, which occurred in 1975 in Connecticut, (Martha Moxley). The perpetrator was related to the Kennedy family, and somehow the local cops could not connect the dots. It actually took Mark Fuhrman (of the OJ trial), to investigate that case, and point to the killer. The killer, Skakel, relative to the Kennedys, was finally convicted in 2002, or 27 years later. He remains in jail, having received 20 years to life.
u mean to tell me that rebbeim covered up a murder? they knew something and didnt tell the police to protect one of their own…..
why does that sound familiar?!?!?!
where do they get the heter?
There was an entrance way with a broken lock that led to the staircase near the victim’s room. Maybe it was an anti-Semitic maintenance man, or someone that worked in the building before. Clearly, this is a case that can be solved with enough cooperation. Also, how did all these students stay in that dorm for years after the murder without worrying that they were next, this case SMELLS to high heaven.
the school employed Polish immigrant laborers. They cooked, cleaned, and took care of maintenance. I assume this was a way to get cheap labor. The yeshiva provided them with living quarters. I am not sure whether they lived in the same building with the boys or an adjoining building.
Has this angle been fully explored?
Aside from trying to deduce what happened, the statement from the conference which is most relevant is “someone out there has a secret” and is asked to come forward. Clearly, there is new or reviewed evidene which they need substantiated by a witness they know saw too much.