Gone But Never Forgotten: Eighteen Years Since the Murder of Efraim Klein, HY”D

Today, the 30th of Shvat, marks eighteen years since the cold-blooded murder of Efraim Klein HY”D, a well known and loved member of the Crown Heights Jewish community. The investigation into his murder has long since gone cold.

It was a cold and blustery Thursday night, at around 2:00am, when shots rang out in the vicinity of Crown Street and Schenectady Avenue. The shots awoke several area residents, who came out of their homes to learn that a fellow Lubavitcher had been shot.

A number of bystanders, along with Hatzalah and Shomrim, pulled Efraim from the mangled wreckage of his car, which had caught fire, and attempted to treat his wounds. He passed away at Kings County Hospital a short while later.

Thousands of grieving community members attended his funeral outside 770, the Lubavitch World Headquarters.

Compounding this terrible tragedy was the wedding of his son Hershel Klein was due to take place just days later in Israel. Thanks to the help of the community, although delayed, the wedding did take place.

A press conference was held in the lobby of the Jewish Children’s Museum, where politicians gave condolences to the family, and promised to locate the murderer and bring him to justice. Local business got together and raised reward money in an attempt to obtain information on the incident.

One year after the homicide, the police distributed reward flyers in an attempt to revive the investigation with new leads.

There case has long since gone cold, and little hope of catching the killer.