COLD CASES: HOW A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR CAN HELP

Across the country there are hundreds of thousands of unsolved crimes and cold cases. Private investigators have proven to be very valuable in assisting clients in helping to solve murder, kidnapping, rape, stalker, and felony crime cases. They can shed new light or bring a different perspective with the hopes of bringing these cases back out into the open. Ultimately, a private investigator can assist clients in these cases by helping them fill in the details surrounding a case.

With expertise, private investigators can take an unsolved crime or a cold case file and scour it with fresh eyes and a new perspective.

A private investigator can devote a great deal of quality time to reinvestigate and closely scrutinize all aspects of a given case. Investigators are often hired to widen theories, identify new leads in the case, interview or reinterview witnesses, and interface with law enforcement.

With expertise, private investigators can take an unsolved crime or a cold case file and scour it with fresh eyes and a new perspective. With new insight they can then begin to follow the evidence and across typical jurisdiction limits, setting aside any preconceived notions and allowing the evidence to tell the story.

Private investigators can assist by revisiting officer narratives and reports and reinterviewing witnesses, family members, and police officers to compare what each person has to say. Tips and leads are sometimes ignored during an initial investigation or can become overlooked or dismissed as unimportant. The odds of resolution decrease each day that passes and the longer the investigation goes on. Uncovering new leads and reviewing the existing work conducted by law enforcement often offers fresh leads on a cold case.

An investigator, especially with a Federal supervisor background, can provide unique insight to help bring resolution to unsolved crimes.

An investigative service firm can help uncover new leads, review existing work by local authorities, and develop new theories in an effort to uncover the truth.

I don’t care if it’s a kidnapping, rape, murder, missing person, fraud or white collar crime, the key is to hire an investigator with a strong background in interrogation and interviewing. I like to think my firm is the top dog in interviewing and interrogation, but whoever you end up hiring, that skill is a key element to most cases.

Not only should they have top-notch interviewing and interrogation skills, but they also have to know how to approach the law enforcement community and attorneys that worked on the case. Contrary to popular culture’s view on private investigators, law enforcement personnel respect professional private investigators. It is important for the private investigator to treat law enforcement personnel as partners in their investigative efforts.

The most important thing when you’re involved in a cold case, whether it be three months or thirty years, be very careful because you only get one shot at the apple. Most investigative firms, under no circumstances, will take a case where someone else has already taken a look and made an assessment. Once someone has trampled on the evidence for the second time, it’s a waste of time, energy, and money.

Do you have questions about hiring a private investigator to review your cold case? Please let me know and I would be pleased to address your concerns.