CentralSquare's AI Helps Investigators Solve 33-Year-Old Illinois Cold Case

Centerline AI enabled detectives to analyze more than 2,000 pages of case files, helping advance a homicide investigation that remained unsolved for more than three decades

LAKE MARY, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CentralSquare Technologies, a leading provider of public sector software, today announced that its Centerline AI™ platform played a key role in helping the Madison County Sheriff's Office in Illinois solve the 1993 murder of Randy Gail Sperino, an unsolved case for more than 33 years. The agency used Centerline AI to analyze 2,000-plus pages of investigative records, help reconstruct timelines, organize witness information, and identify evidence for DNA testing that ultimately contributed to breaking the case.

The case was solved through a combination of skilled detective work, AI-assisted case analysis, DNA evidence, and forensic genetic genealogy. Investigators identified Albert “Buddy” Zigler, who later confessed, according to prosecutors.

Centerline AI was co-created by Lane Floyd and Preston Willis, who worked directly with law enforcement agencies while designing the platform. Floyd's inspiration came in part from growing up in a law enforcement family. His father serves as Captain of Investigations with the St. Charles Police Department in Missouri, and his grandfather was also a police officer.

“This case demonstrates how AI can help investigators quickly navigate complex case information and focus more time on developing leads,” said Floyd. “Centerline AI is not a replacement for detective work. It helps investigators work more efficiently and uncover insights that might otherwise take much longer to find.”

Centerline AI is an AI platform embedded within public safety workflows used by law enforcement, emergency communications centers, and first responders nationwide. In addition to supporting investigations, agencies are also using AI to reduce administrative burden such as automating report drafting, transcription, and data parsing tasks that can otherwise take hours of officer time each day, helping agencies do more with limited staffing.

About CentralSquare

CentralSquare Technologies is the trusted provider of public sector software in North America. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform connects public safety and public administration, helping communities of all sizes run more safely and effectively every day. More than 8,000 agencies rely on CentralSquare to manage critical operations, from dispatch to records, permitting to payroll. We serve with purpose and stand together with our heroes, committed to supporting the public sector with software built for impact. Learn more at www.CentralSquare.com.