/r/investigation

Photograph via snooOG

r/investigation is where news, articles, plus opinions about the world of criminal, and Private Investigations begin.

A subreddit devoted to the world of criminal and Private Investigation; techniques, roles and news.

VERIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

We encourage all licensed PIs to request verification with r/TruePrivInv. Send a photo of your license with personal info removed and your username visible to the mods, they will relay to us, and we can grant the verified flair.

Note:

  1. Message the mods using modmail ONLY.
  2. Upload the photo to a site like imgur or google drive and include the link in your message.
  3. Include your username in the photo.

Intern, under supervision, or other licenses types will be marked accordingly.

Podcasts:

Magazines/Blogs:

Books:

US

Canada

TV Shows:

Associations:

Lists of State Associations:

Canadian Associations:

Continuing Education:

Neighbors of Inquiry and Justice

Improvements are a work in progress, feel free to make suggestions.

/r/investigation

5,111 Subscribers

1

I am not sure if this is allowed. Any suggestions on apps to dive deep into find out more in dept info. Some of the ones I have don’t really give what information needed. Like websites

0 Comments
2024/11/14
01:56 UTC

2

Why would health & human services be investigating my son’s father?

I had a private investigator call me in regards to my kids dad & he asked me these 3 questions, Do I know his address? Do I know if he’s employed? How often does he have my son?

I’m assuming they’re investigating him for food stamp fraud maybe, that’s my theory but honestly idk..has this happened to anyone else?? Or what do yall think it could be about?? He wouldn’t tell me why 😭

3 Comments
2024/11/06
19:46 UTC

1

Pollution in the Loing Canal in France.

Very recently there was a pollution that caused the death of many fish in a canal in France. I was wondering if you had any ideas for listing the companies that could have been the cause of the pollution?
a video of the pollution

0 Comments
2024/10/31
14:58 UTC

6

Pinkerton

Hi, This is a throwaway account.

I would like to ask if anybody here is working or used to work at Pinkerton as a Investigator. If so, can you share more details on the company because there is not much that I can find on the internet (i.e. work-life balance, career progression, general scope of work responsibilities). I heard they are quite a big firm with many connections to MNCs.

I am currently working as a investigator for my country police force and I am looking to expand my repertoire and looking for an out because my current working condition is not very favorable for my current stage of life lol.

Cheers!

1 Comment
2024/10/14
13:35 UTC

7

Need Advice

Not sure if this is the right spot, but I don't know much about how to go about this the right way. Been going to a new Laundromat lately and I've been investigating the bathroom there. The bathroom is a universal one that requires you to call a phone number to get the passcode for and my concern is the mirror. It faces the toilet and I noticed the first time that while it was screwed into the wall there is a gap large enough to see there's a large panel of the drywall cut out directly behind the mirror. The mirror itself seems to be a normal mirror, but since then I've tried looking into it further, going so far as to get my hands on a small inspection mirror (gap's still too small to actually see anything). It feels suspicious as anything else, and I hope its something more innocuous. Does anyone know if there's resources I can find to try and figure out the owner of the property/previous owners? Either that, or should I just drop it alltogether? I appreciate any advice/criticism I can get.

3 Comments
2024/10/12
16:21 UTC

1

Fannie May: A Theory of a Ruthless Business Woman and Predatory Grandmother

There’s a theory, though highly speculative, that the famous Fannie May Chocolate company wasn’t just the product of entrepreneurial innovation, but instead stemmed from a disturbing family saga of manipulation and theft, led by its namesake—a grandmother with a dark agenda. The story suggests that the origins of Fannie May lie not in honest craftsmanship but in an elaborate scheme orchestrated by Fannie May herself, a woman who exerted tremendous control over her children, using tactics that would border on coercion and outright blackmail.

According to this theory, Fannie May wasn’t just a chocolate enthusiast; she was a master manipulator. She had a particular obsession with outperforming local chocolatiers, but rather than relying on quality ingredients or innovative recipes, she pressured her own children—and reportedly, even other neighborhood kids—to steal chocolate from competitors. The children, often as young as ten, would sneak into rival shops or storage facilities under the guise of running innocent errands, returning with boxes of stolen sweets.

Fannie May would then repackage the stolen chocolate under her own brand, with no one suspecting that these “handcrafted” treats were, in reality, swiped from competitors. But it wasn’t just the theft that was alarming; it was the psychological pressure she placed on these children. According to some accounts, she would remind her own children that their financial future depended on the success of her business. “Do you want to end up like the rest of them?” she would reportedly say, pointing to families struggling during the post-Depression era. The implication was clear: their only way to survive and thrive was to obey her commands, no matter the ethical cost.

But the manipulation didn’t end with guilt. Fannie May allegedly collected damaging information on the children involved—whether it was catching them in minor childhood misdeeds or finding out about their private, innocent secrets. She would hold this information over their heads, subtly reminding them that if they refused to help her, she could ruin their standing within the family or the community. For example, one story claims that she caught one of her children sneaking candy from her own stock. Instead of confronting the child immediately, she waited until she needed a favor, then hinted that she could reveal this “theft” to the father, who would have been furious. With that leverage, she coerced the child into becoming her inside man at a competitor’s shop.

Some who subscribe to this theory even suggest that the company’s relentless expansion in its early years can be attributed to Fannie May’s underground network of child “agents,” who would continue pilfering from chocolate shops as the business grew. The children reportedly lived in constant fear—fear of losing their family’s support, fear of being exposed, and fear of disappointing the grandmother who had made them complicit in her illicit scheme. Over time, the children became so accustomed to their roles that they hardly questioned the morality of what they were doing, instead focusing on the rewards—occasional free chocolates, extra pocket money, or simply the relief of not being exposed.

The theory also points to the way Fannie May controlled the narrative surrounding her brand. She was always depicted as a sweet, benevolent figure, the archetypal grandmother everyone could trust. But those close to her knew the darker side. She managed to suppress any rumors or accusations that arose, using her influence within the community and a carefully constructed public image to protect herself. In many ways, she weaponized her role as the family matriarch to ensure loyalty and obedience.

Critics of this theory might argue that it’s too far-fetched, but supporters insist that it explains the rapid rise of the company and the unusual secrecy surrounding its early years. After all, it’s not uncommon for family businesses to have skeletons in the closet, and Fannie May’s alleged methods, while ruthless, were undeniably effective.

Ultimately, whether this theory holds any water or not, it serves as a chilling reminder of how easily familial ties can be manipulated for personal gain. Fannie May, in this version of events, was less the loving grandmother and more a shrewd, manipulative operator, whose empire was built on the backs of frightened children and stolen goods. What looks like a sweet success story might, in fact, have been a bitter lesson in the darker side of ambition.

0 Comments
2024/10/10
23:48 UTC

3

Seeking: news stories, case law, helpful data people

Created a burner account here as I do not want to jeopardize my lawsuit. I will be as specific as possible without giving away identifying information.

TL;DR: seeking any of the following (1) news stories about times when someone’s ride share showed up and both the plate didn’t match the app and the driver didn’t match the account. (2) case law in which a for hire vehicle is identified by gps data rather than name/account # (3) really great data people willing to help me sift through Open NYC to see if I can narrow things down.

Very brief incident summary: hit by drunk driver as pedestrian, had right of way, driver stopped and gave some info but not all (no insurance, license, etc). Said he had to drop off his passengers. I asked who he was driving for, he said (one of the two major for hire vehicle companies—if the specific name matters here lmk and I’ll give it!). Then he got back in his car and drove away. We have a plate # and blurry security video in which passengers are seen leaving the vehicle and walking away.

Subsequently discovered the following: car leased by driver’s ex. Ex had FHV account. Driver did not. Driver has serious criminal history incl aggravated vehicular manslaughter. There is no record of usage of ex’s FHV account in recent history incl accident date or of any account linked to plate #. I suspect the driver was driving under an account that was not linked either to the plate # of the car or to himself.

Really struggling here bc my attorney is reasonably doing what he can but has said for a variety of reasons this is one of his hardest cases ever. I like and trust him but also understand I’m not his only client so I’m trying to do some footwork myself.

2 Comments
2024/10/09
17:02 UTC

1

Can any one help find the sample for this...Sounds like Angela Winbush but cant find it

0 Comments
2024/10/04
17:58 UTC

1

"41-Year-Old Man Charged with Murder of Missing Detroit Teen Na'Ziyah Harris Amid Disturbing Grooming and Pregnancy Allegations"

Jarvis Ramon Butts, aged 41, faces charges for the murder of 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris, whom he allegedly impregnated.

Harris was last seen on January 9, 2024, exiting a school bus in Detroit, after which she disappeared. Her body remains missing.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced these charges, noting that Butts had a familial connection with Harris through her aunt, with whom he had children.

Worthy described Butts as a "classic and expert groomer and pedophile."

Evidence presented includes text messages from September 2023 where Harris informed Butts about missing her period, and by November, it was evident that Butts was aware of her pregnancy.

Prosecutor Worthy detailed that Butts' phone records revealed searches related to abortions, abortion pills, and alarmingly, drinking red antifreeze.

Worthy also accused Butts of a pattern where he would target and befriend women with young daughters, aiming to sexually exploit the children.

Investigators tracked Butts' movements to the Rouge River in Detroit the day following Harris's disappearance.

0 Comments
2024/10/03
13:17 UTC

1

"Agony in the Chamber: The Tragic Death of Jimmy Lee Gray and the Horror of a Botched Execution"

In 1983, during his execution in a Mississippi gas chamber, Jimmy Lee Gray died after repeatedly bashing his head against a metal pole behind his chair.

The gas had failed to kill him quickly, leaving him in agony and gasping for eight minutes.

Gray had been sentenced to death for the 1976 kidnapping, se*ual assault, and murder of three-year-old Deressa Jean Scales.

At the time of this crime, he was on parole, having served just seven years of a 20-year-to-life sentence for the 1968 murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend, Elda Louise Prince, in Parker, Arizona.

0 Comments
2024/10/03
13:33 UTC

4

Palm Pilots

Has anyone come across cases involving crimes that were documented on Palm Pilots? I know the Long Island serial killer’s PP had been a huge source of information but I’m curious about other criminals who have used them.

0 Comments
2024/09/26
14:08 UTC

3

Investigation help

Hey everyone! I was in a group on Facebook that helps investigate family history to help you find info, only issue is it’s for the states only. Anyone have any leads on Canadian groups that can help? Tia

0 Comments
2024/09/25
21:03 UTC

2

Wife's Affair with Security Guard Ends in Grisly Murder -True Crime Documentary & Cases

0 Comments
2024/09/22
17:39 UTC

5

The girl in the photo.

On February 14, 2000, 9 year old Asha Degree disappeared from her home in Shelby, North Carolina. Motorists reported seeing her walking down Highway NC 18 at approximately 4 am that evening. One motorist attempted to make contact with her and offer help. But when he did,he reported that Asha ran off the road and into the woods.

The following morning, Asha’s parents discovered she was missing. Police searched the highway and the area the motorist reported seeing her run into the woods. A few yards back was a shed. When the shed was searched, items were discovered that were believed to be Asha’s. With these items was a small photo of this girl- “the girl in the photo”.

Police asked the public to help identify the girl, but to this day she remains unidentified. And Asha remains missing.

The purpose of this subreddit is to identify her, in the hopes that her identity could help police be one step closer to finding Asha Degree.

Someone knows who this girl is. This is someone's daughter. This is someone's friend.

Please join our community subreddit and help us find r/THEGIRLINTHEPHOTO !

0 Comments
2024/09/09
12:30 UTC

8

How much could someone find out about me based on my Reddit post history alone?

Could someone find me irl based only on my Reddit footprint or have u stayed relatively anonymous?

10 Comments
2024/09/09
06:00 UTC

1

Finding Amelia Earhart - Vlog Episode : Most are not satisfied with the "official" story about the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. And for good reason. There's a lot more to the story than we've been told. Watch here:

0 Comments
2024/09/08
18:46 UTC

1

Help me with research

More than 4 years, in truth I have learned to live with it but it is exhausting. The problem started with anonymous messages on Instagram (before there were not as many message filters as there are now and it was easier to create fake accounts), those messages were directed at me and my partner at that time, misusing my image and they also reached me nude photos or offering to “sell me” for some money(?), that lasted approximately two years until I closed my account and changed it, in 2022 this person found me again and the story repeated itself, this time he got my number phone and there were easily more than 3,000 messages I had about recovering my accounts (Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.) and so I changed my number anyway. Currently, this person continues with his harassment, he found my number again and also already webs me on TikTok and has created accounts with my photos, videos, even, he even sent a photo of a nude that is not mine, saying it was me. Currently, every day I wake up and I have recovery messages and emails from all my networks, even those I don't have, like Telegram or DiDi, and this is already something sick. If you're wondering, yes, I went to the authorities (I'm from Chile), I went to the PDI and the prosecutor's office where they always stressed to me that as long as there was no harm to my physical integrity they couldn't do anything and in the prosecutor's office the case has been stalled for more than two years :) I also paid for research, which didn't work and ended up being a scam. Has anyone gone through something similar? I also need to know who to go to or if there is a researcher who can do this work or who wants to do it. I read them!

0 Comments
2024/09/08
18:22 UTC

4

Investigating Companies

Is there a site or database out there that has compiled a list of businesses and the court cases they’ve been involved in/settled/won/lost/etc.? I’m trying to find if one has been made for manufacturing places like Castle Printing, Inland, among others.

4 Comments
2024/09/03
19:56 UTC

4

Now Casting Couples Working in the Justice System

NOW CASTING COUPLES WORKING IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM!

  • Do you and your partner both work in the criminal justice system?
  • Are you a lawyer, police officer, PI, bounty hunter, parole officer, correctional officer, etc.?
  • As a couple, do you work hard to find a work life balance?
  • Would you love to share your story in a new docu-series?

***If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, then we would love to connect!***A major cable network and Emmy award-winning production company, IPC, are searching for couples who both work within the criminal justice system and are open to sharing their lives with us. This series seeks to follow couples as they juggle their careers with their home life, all while maintaining their relationship.If you are interested in being considered, please email us at casting@pairedupmeda.com with your name, occupation, story, and recent pictures of you and your partner.We look forward to hearing from you soon!

https://preview.redd.it/988nbwmsneld1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=2f1c628925243f4b1a78b9a42bd1bea82e74b1f3

0 Comments
2024/08/28
13:18 UTC

0

Strange photo that I photographed ? 🤔

in an investigation regarding the death of a father by his own daughter in 2007.

I decided to fly to the house where the incident occurred.

Several photos of the house were taken, but one specific photo really stood out to me.

Is it really a fucking skull that I see or is it just my imagination ?

5 Comments
2024/08/27
16:27 UTC

0

What could be the significance of there being no drugs found at Matthew Perry's residence when police searched upon Perry's demise?

1 Comment
2024/08/24
18:09 UTC

1

Can you search a P.O. Box?

My grandmother keeps getting letters in the mail from someone trying to buy her house. She is old and confused and is understanding it to be that someone is in fact buying her house(which is not the case but she doesn’t understand) i tried to call back the number they provided and asked them to quit sending these letters. Instead the guy was in fact very hostile and cussing at us…etc. in the long run he said that he will not quit sending the letters. (Which like i said early confuses my nana and puts her under the impression that someone is taking her house from her) i really want to forward all the letters that get sent to me back to his personal address(for 1 to be a little petty. And for 2 him to be confused on how i was able to get that info to be able to forward the letters to him and he just quits sending them in the long run) i have his name,number and city/state just not his address. His address is located in Louisiana but i am not able to access the counties Secretary of State website without paying for an account. So now i am at a dead end and do not know how to find it.

2 Comments
2024/08/21
02:47 UTC

1

Weirdo at work

Hello everyone, i need help to identify a car model. Long story short this guy dropped two beheaded pigeons at work and a dead skunk for the second time at my job. Anyone has an idea of what this car is? I was thinking of a ford explorer but im not sure. Thanks!

0 Comments
2024/08/19
22:03 UTC

2

Hit and Run

Witness caught the plate and car description, I checked it on one of the free sites and the plate matches the description. It’s been almost 5 weeks and no word back from the police yet. When I called initially they said there was a backlog and to expect a month. I was injured and taken to the hospital via ambulance, thankfully no serious injuries just a lot of gnarly road rash. I’m worried that because it wasn’t worse there’s less motivation to investigate though - what with the backlog and all. Not really sure what to do at this point other than keep waiting. Contemplating if getting a PI to look into this would be worth it or not. I’d like to be able to sue the jerk who could have killed me. The FOIA footage I’ve requested has been less then helpful despite the many cameras in that intersection. Ugh. I’m not feeling hopeful.

4 Comments
2024/08/14
18:09 UTC

Back To Top