Alexander White is an accountant, and resident of Los Angeles. White purchased a tractor mower from Cosgrove Tractor on 27 April 2002, and picked up the mower on 1 May 2002. In 2012, White was contacted by Los Angeles Police Department detective Harry Bosch regarding a phone call placed to the LAPD using his name on 1 May 2002 inquiring about progress made in the investigation into the 1992 murder of Anneke Jesperson. White was puzzled by Bosch's call because he was completely unaware of the Jesperson case and had made no such call in 2002. He provided Bosch with information about his purchase from Cosgrove Tractor, which led the detective to look into employees of the company.