Families Victimized by the Virginia Tech Tragedy Want Help from Private Investigator
A panel has been set up to investigate the Virginia Tech tragedy. However, the families of some victims want to hire a private investigator to monitor the panel. This investigator will be accountable to the families and would keep the families involved in the investigation. The families made the request for an investigator through an attorney. Some dozen families are worried that the panel, which was appointed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, may focus on outside issues. The families want answers about the decision making process on the day of the shootings. (ABC News 7, June 13, 2007)

Photographer Impersonates a PI to Snap Coveted Pictures
Photographer Robert King from Hardeman County, TN has admitted that he falsely claimed to be a private investigator so that he could get photographs of Mary Winkler in jail. The charges against him stem from last year. King has turned himself in and has posted bail. King works for Polaris Images and has been taking pictures for the Mary Winkler story for People magazine. If found guilty, King could face a jail time of one to two years. (Jackson Sun, June 13, 2007)

Report on Forgery Suggests that Investigators Have Their Work Cut Out for Them
This past week, the Jacksonville Daily Progress ran a fascinating two-day series about forgery. The articles contained some insightful interviews with investigator Don Lehew, whose experience suggests that forgery may be increasing in frequency. Lehew and other investigators believe that forgers have much to gain, and lax attitudes about notarizing and signature checking make getting caught only a remote possibility. (Jacksonville Daily Progress, June 12, 2007)

Fresno Private Investigation Reveals a Possible Crime the Police May Have Missed
The 2004 death of Lilly Mae Harmon seemed suspicious to her family. Her daughter, Betty Harmon, found the strange withdrawals from her mother’s bank account suspicious – especially since some ATM withdrawals were made after her mother’s death. Although she reported her concerns to police, police refused to investigate further. Betty had her mother’s remains exhumed and a private autopsy revealed that her mother had actually been the victim of arsenic poisoning. Only now are Fresno police asking the state to investigate the death. Originally, Betty Harmon sought help from Fresno police, the Fresno County Coroner's Office, The Fresno County District Attorney's Office and the Attorney General's Office, but all refused to look further into the case. Betty hired her own investigator and that investigator’s findings led to the arrest of Theresa Centeno on charges of theft. (The Fresno Bee, June 12, 2007)

Private Investigation Reunites Family
After seven years of searching, Laura MacRory was finally able to find her birth mother, Carol Cannon. Laura searched for years, but finally sought the help of a private investigator, who was able to provide her with answers three months ago. The investigation allowed the two women to meet for the first time in Houston. Even though MacRory had been searching for her mother for years, limited information and frequent moves made the search hard. Private investigator Judd Joy of Dallas had the tools and skills necessary to find all relevant information in just eight hours. (Houston Chronicle, June 9, 2007)