Behind each perplexing mystery is a method to solve it. While film detectives might suddenly find the answer to their mystery, depicted as sudden bursts of inspiration, in real life Private Investigators are trained to follow an organized and repeatable set of processes; some scientific, some psychological, others just requiring persistence and time. Here is a clear structure, step by step through which any investigator can work toward solving even the most difficult of cases:
- Clearly Define The Case
Every investigation starts with clearly defining the case. A Private Investigator will first determine:
What happened?
Who is involved?
What is known vs. not known?
They turn the disorder of a situation into a well defined, and concise problem statement. If this step isn’t done, the investigation goes off course and resources become wasted.
2. Gather The Preliminary Information
Before jumping to conclusions, an investigator will gather a volume of raw information: (at this point, they will gather more volume than accuracy; they will filter the volume of data later)
Witness statements
Physical evidence
Digital evidence (text messages, e-mails, GPS)
History of the persons involved
All of the above is considered preliminary data.
3. Create A Timeline
A timeline is the core to every case. Each investigator will develop a timeline that covers the following core components of the incident:
The people that were involved in the incident before, during, and after the incident.
The movement of each of the key people involved in the incident.
Any gaps or inconsistencies in the timeline.
Even small timing mismatches can reveal fabrications and/or other actions that were missed.
- Identifying Motive, Means, and Opportunity
To help narrow down your list of suspects, detectives use this classic framework.
Motive – What could motivate a person to commit a crime?
Means – Does the suspect have the means (tools or skills) to commit the crime?
Opportunity – Was the suspect in the area at the time of the crime?
A suspect must satisfy all three components of this framework if they are to remain viable too.
- Surveillance and Observation
Detectives working undercover or using discreet surveillance include:
Physical surveillance (tracking the movements of a suspect)
Digital surveillance (monitoring online/ social media behaviour)
Behavioural observation (observing body language, routines and behaviour)
Patterns discovered through any one of these methods often yield more evidence than does direct evidence.
- Cross-Verification of Evidence
Some evidence is not always reliable. To validate the evidence obtained during an investigation, detectives confirm:
Do witness statements match physical evidence?
Is the digital evidence authentic?
Are there any inconsistencies or discrepancies?
Cross-verifying evidence will help detectives reach correct conclusions and ensure quality assurance.
- Psychological Profiling
Detectives need to understand and analyze how humans behave; they will look at:
What personality traits does the suspect possess?
What emotional triggers are associated with the suspect?
What patterns of past behaviours do the suspect have?
Using this information helps to anticipate and predict how someone will behave and identify inconsistencies in their statements.
- Narrowing Down Suspects
When detectives have collected enough data to eliminate likely suspects, they will use the information they gathered in order to focus their efforts on persons of interest. This phase of the investigation typically includes:
Re-interviewing key witnesses or other individuals
Verifying alibis of persons of interest
Identifying overlooked or missed details.
The objective here is to reduce the number of difficulties in identifying the truth.
- Establishing the Sequence of Events Related to Criminal Activity
In this phase, detectives develop a logical timeline for the crime incident:
- how the crime occurred (e.g., the sequence of events)
- who committed what (i.e., when and what each person did)
- how the crime was committed (i.e., how did the suspect(s) move about the scene during the commission of the crime)
The analysis conducted under this phase must support all of the evidence.
- Validating the Analysis for the Case
Before closing an investigation for the purpose of charging a suspect (i.e., getting an arrest warrant), detectives must ensure that:
- All of the evidence supports the conclusion and can be defended at trial.
- No major contradictions exist with the evidence.
- All of the evidence is supportive of the conclusion.
Once these criteria are met, the investigation is considered complete.
Key Skills for Making the Investigation Work
Secret detectives utilize a blend of hard skills and soft skills in order to successfully complete their investigations:
- Analytical thought
- Attention to detail
- Discretion and confidentiality
- Communication and interrogation skills
- Patience and commitment
Conclusion
Solving difficult cases is a process—not luck! Secret detectives use a systematic method of utilizing logical reasoning, observation skills, and experience to solve a crime.
When you observe a mystery unfold, remember: there’s always a series of careful, methodical actions in the background creating the foundation for a “sudden” resolution.
