Case Study: International Trace and Locate for a Television Production

Client: Major TV Production Company

Service: Trace and Locate (International)

The Challenge

A leading television production company was developing a series on the life and crimes of a notorious serial killer. The project aimed to tell the story with authenticity, relying not only on court records but also on first-hand accounts from those who had known the subject throughout his life.

The difficulty was that the serial killer in question had lived a highly transient existence. He moved repeatedly as a child and continued this pattern as an adult, often shifting countries and identities. These movements, combined with the passing of decades since his crimes, made him an exceptionally challenging subject to research. Many of his former acquaintances, associates, and even family members had either moved on, changed names, or passed away.

Traditional open-source research yielded very few leads. The client turned to Conflict International to uncover credible contacts, surviving relatives, friends, associates of victims, or anyone with a direct link to the story, who could help them build a richer, more human narrative.

Our Approach

Conflict International structured the assignment around two key goals: to identify surviving individuals connected to the subject and to verify their relevance and credibility for the production team.

Our team began by conducting extensive international ancestry and registry searches, including birth, death, and marriage records. Where public archives were limited, we leveraged specialist databases and drew on local sources in multiple countries to trace familial lines and residential histories.

We also revisited associates of both the perpetrator and the victims, attempting to connect with people who could offer insight into his character, motivations, and movements. This required not just data analysis but also fieldwork, discreetly reaching out to confirm whether contacts were still alive, accessible, and willing to speak.

The sensitive nature of the case required particular care. Any information shared had to be factually accurate, responsibly sourced, and suitable for use in a media production. Our role was not only investigative but also advisory, ensuring the production company had material that was both compelling and reliable.

The Investigation

Our work revealed that many of the people linked to the case were no longer alive. However, through genealogical checks and registry searches, we identified a number of surviving relatives and acquaintances. A detailed dossier was compiled, including verified contact information, timelines of association, and relevance assessments for each potential source.

The information provided gave the production company new avenues to pursue. Several of the individuals we traced were contacted directly by the producers and ultimately agreed to participate in the series. Their testimony added personal depth and authenticity that could not have been achieved through archives alone.

The Outcome

The dossier we delivered became a cornerstone of the production company’s research. It transformed what had been a sparse factual record into a story enriched by voices of those who had known the subject or been affected by his crimes.

The series went on to feature multiple individuals identified through our investigation. Their interviews provided raw, first-hand accounts that strengthened the programme’s credibility and resonance with viewers.

Continuing Support

For the production company, this case demonstrated the unique value of professional investigators in media research. Since then, Conflict International has supported them and other production houses with similar projects where archival research alone is insufficient. By combining investigative expertise with sensitivity to storytelling needs, we help ensure that complex stories are told with depth, accuracy, and integrity.