The best and brightest criminal investigators trust their “gut,” or what we call intuition. We should too.

Criminal cases get solved when the investigating detective asks many questions, of many people, and then circles back around, after getting conflicting answers (even in the reports you can read the officer’s comment that they “feel” the suspect is lying) to find out WHY they are getting conflicting answers…that’s what they mean by following the evidence in a case.  You question, and question, and question some more.  In most of the cases, that I have now assisted on, I have come to realize that the co-victims, the family of the victim, have many answers that can help solve the case, but they aren’t always asked.  In so many cases the families don’t even realize they have important answers, but they do – they just need someone to ask the right questions.  And sometimes, when they volunteer answers, their words fall on deaf ears…again, I ask WHY?  How can a crime get solved if you don’t want to know the answers?

Everyone involved in a criminal case should work towards the truth.  Every case should be about the truth – if it is not investigated to the fullest, using integrity and ethical practices, then how can it be about the truth?  How can cases ever be solved?  How can there ever be justice for the innocent?  And how can we keep repeat offenders, like the recently arrested Golden State killer, from accumulating more and more victims?  We are so lucky to have the science of DNA evolving to where it is now, but remember DNA analysis only works if law enforcement collects the evidence.  And that is my thought for the day…