ESR News Blog
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
Background checks of deliverymen are being examined more closely following the brutal murder of an elderly woman in Boca Raton, Florida, in her own home during the delivery of her new washer and dryer, an attack that has “called into question the trustworthiness of deliverymen and workers we invite into our homes every day,” according to a report by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that Evelyn Udell, 75, was receiving a new washer and dryer that she had ordered from Best Buy when Jorge Luis Dupre Lachazo, 21, attacked her after being left alone with her in the home while a second deliveryman – who later called 911 for help – was outside. Police say Lachazo killed Udell by hitting her with a wooden mallet and then setting her on fire with acetone.
Best Buy contracted the delivery of Udell’s products to J.B. Hunt, a shipping services company based in Arkansas, which contracted with X.M. Delivery Service, a company in Miami, Florida, that employed Lachazo. Following Udell’s death, Best Buy said the company would hire an independent security firm to “review our existing screening, audit, and safety programs,” The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel contacted “several large retailers that serve South Florida with deliveries and in-home service” to ask them about background checks for their deliverymen and “Walmart, Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s, and Sears did not respond to requests for comment.” In addition, AT&T and BrandsMart USA declined to speak about their use of background checks or their use of subcontractors.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that “according to a police report, Lachazo admitted to recently using marijuana through a vape and cocaine before Udell’s delivery.” Along with a history of traffic violations, he was arrested in 2018 for stealing a cellphone at a convenience store but the charge was dismissed through his participation in a pre-trial diversion program since he had no prior arrests.
The contractor and subcontractor used to deliver Udell’s Best Buy products were not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). J.B. Hunt received a D-minus rating from the Little Rock BBB while X.M. Delivery Service Inc. – the company that employed Lachazo – did not have a rating from the Miami BBB and was not authorized to operate by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Background checks are needed for service workers who enter homes. Sue Weaver CAUSE (Commit to Always Using Screened Employees) – which is named after the founder’s sister who was murdered in her home by a service worker with a criminal record – is a non-profit organization that has advocated for comprehensive background checks for consumer safety, especially for workers entering homes.
The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) – a non-profit trade association representing companies that provide background checks – is proud to support the third annual Chipping in for CAUSE charity golf tournament benefitting the Sue Weaver CAUSE that will take place at the Tournament Players Club (TPC) San Antonio starting at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 8, 2019.
The Chipping in for CAUSE charity golf tournament will take place before the start of the 2019 NAPBS Annual Conference which is being held from September 8 to 10, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. Attendees of the 2019 NAPBS Annual Conference are welcome to invite their colleagues, friends, and family to participate in the event. More information is available at www.sueweavercause.org/golf.
Attorney Lester Rosen, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Employment Screening Resources® (ESR), a global provider of background checks, will speak at the 2019 NAPBS Annual Conference. ESR is a “Founding Member” of NAPBS and accredited by the NAPBS. Rosen was the Chairperson of the steering committee that founded the NAPBS and served as first Co-Chair. To learn more about ESR, visit www.esrcheck.com.
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