Although the Christmas/Holiday season is a joyous time, people still have a hard time coping with the let down, the bills, the broken relationships and even the beginning of a New Year.  While some people look to the future on a positive note, others see only dread and feel overwhelmed with the sense of “here we go again”.

Many people know how burdensome life can be; many have struggled with depression and the feelings of despair.  While most people are able to seek the help they need, others feel the help just isn’t there, and nobody would understand them anyway.

Our agency has been conducting equivocal death investigations since 2002, and in this time frame we have seen more suicide deaths than any other deaths.  We have compiled the information contained in this article to assist in educating people on some of the aspects surrounding suicide deaths.

Suicide has no boundaries and it does not matter what age, race, ethnicity, sex gender, sexual orientation, career status, monetary status or where you live; it can strike at any given moment.  Those who believe suicide affects only certain types of people have been living with their heads buried in a fantasy of beliefs, not reality.

We have seen time and time again similarities between suicides even though the mechanism used may be different.  The list of questions goes beyond what is listed here, however a few of the repeated statements we have seen are as follows:

1.  They didn’t leave a note, so they couldn’t have committed suicide.  The consistency is that a suicide note is rarely left behind.  Sometimes even when a note is left behind, the questions are still unanswered.

2.  They never mentioned suicide, so they couldn’t have committed suicide.  Or they did mention suicide and we talked it through.  The consistency is some people will never mention it, while others will mention it here and there and still others talk about it what may seem like too much to be taken seriously.

3.  They were so happy; it was one of the best days so they couldn’t have committed suicide.  The consistency is that perhaps once the person has made this final decision, they no longer feel the depression, they feel relieved, and they are literally happy because they are not struggling with inner turmoil any longer.

4.  They couldn’t have committed suicide there was a new baby in the family. The consistency is that although a person may love that new family member, it brings on added stress from many aspects, maybe they were not ready for this new baby and everything might be too overwhelming for that person.

5.  They couldn’t have committed suicide they just got a new job.  The consistency is getting a new job in the scheme of overwhelming life issues is not that important.  Perhaps they felt pressured to take this job, when that job was not one they were truly interested in.

6.  They couldn’t have committed suicide they just started a new relationship with a great person.  The consistency is although they have begun a new relationship; they may still be feeling the effects of a past relationship and cannot cope no matter who walks into their life.

7.  They couldn’t have committed suicide they just bought a new car or new furniture, or some new gadget of some sort.  The consistency is, perhaps they bought the new item in hopes of cheering themselves up, when it just became another costly burden.

8.  They couldn’t have committed suicide they had no drugs or alcohol in their system.  The consistency is perhaps they wanted to make a decision being free from any effects of drugs or alcohol, but not everyone is under the influence when they have committed suicide.

9.  They couldn’t have committed suicide they just received a clean bill of health from their doctor.  The consistency is, although the doctor gave the person a stamped physical healthy card, the doctor cannot know if the person is suffering from any sort of mental disparity unless the patient tells them.  Being healthy does not stop someone from committing suicide.

10.  They couldn’t have committed suicide they had all kinds of money and had no reason to commit suicide.  The consistency is, it does not matter how much money a person does or does not have, and it is the struggles and stressors that come with having money or a lack thereof.  It seems to ring true that “money can’t buy happiness”.

Those are just a few of what we have seen in our equivocal death investigations, this list could go on and on.  Some of the resources listed below may have similar or different misconceptions, which only demonstrates just how broad the spectrum is and how there are no definite answers to this problem.

No matter what, it all boils down to an individual and every single one of us are different and every single one of us have our own unique brains and thought processes.  We cannot, no matter how hard we try or how much we desire get into another person’s brain to try and change their thoughts.

We can however, be there and let them vent to us, but we need to do this with patience and sincerity.  Contrary to what people might believe, a person can detect whether you are truly listening to them, or whether you are just sitting there pretending.  So make it a point to truly listen to people, you never know how important just “listening” might be to another human being.  If someone you know ever mentions anything surrounding suicidal thoughts, talk to them about it, offer them some resource options, and perhaps even offer to go with them to their physician.  Ignoring the situation will not make it go away, and these days there is no subject that is considered “taboo”.

If you or someone you know has been affected by someone committing suicide, whatever you do, do not play the blame game on the living, whether it be on yourself or someone else.  The devastation left behind after someone commits suicide is horrific enough without adding unnecessary fault finding.  Unfortunately the responsibility lies upon the shoulders of the person who chose to take their own life and what ifs and whys will not change that final act.  We have to find peace within ourselves, and that can sometimes take years as with any death.

Here are some suggested resources that may be helpful:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.afsp.org/

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml

http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/

http://www.save.org/

Our hope is to reach out and help curtail in some way this world-wide problem of suicide.  If you or someone you know could benefit from this information we ask that you please pass it on, you might just save a life.

About the Author

Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI 

Legal Investigator

Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigators

Certified Death Investigators

Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC  (AFI)

www.Forensic-Investigators.com
beersks@Forensic-Investigators.com

(970) 480-7793 Office (Karen ext.2) and (970) 480-7794 Fax

Chuck Chambers of Chambers’ Investigations, also in Bradenton, is quoted as saying about Greg, “[Greg] was a quiet fellow with a very mild personality. He always had a smile. He had these remarkable green eyes, which were his most distinctive feature. You would expect a guy 6-foot-3 to be loud and bodacious, but he was not. He was a good man who was very religious.” When he left Bradenton, Greg became a preacher before starting his own private investigation agency. Chambers has indicated that Greg was embroiled in the investigation of a marital infidelity case at the time of his death.

The primary suspect in Greg Brown’s murder is Ali Abid, a 49 year old immigrant from Iraq.  Abid, who resides in Weyers Cave, VA, is thought to be the last person to have had contact with Greg. Harrisonburg Police believe that he has fled the area.  It should be noted that Abid has a concealed firearm license, so he is assumed to be armed.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Greg Brown during this difficult time.

You Can Help: Anyone with information on Ali Abid’s whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Solvers at (540) 574-5050.

• scene investigation
• body assessment
• medical records
• and the forensic autopsy

This is finalized in three documents:

1. the death certificate
2. the investigator’s report
3. and the autopsy report

In order to understand the importance of the autopsy report, and how to interpret it, you should understand how all the other factors influence the report and why you cannot rely on the autopsy report alone. ‘Autopsy’ is from the Greek ‘autopsia’, meaning ‘to see with one’s own eyes’. The following discussion will dissect the autopsy report and supporting death investigation in order to allow the professional Legal Investigator to view death and non-death cases ‘with one’s own eyes.’

For simplicity, all references will be to medical examiners and not on the difference between the medical examiner and coroner systems, or a hospital autopsy and forensic autopsy. For our purposes, the focus will be on the forensic autopsy conducted by a board certified forensic pathologist and autopsy technician. In addition, there are exceptions to every protocol, and jurisdictional policies will differ. Two important things to consider are: 1. the medical examiner’s office is an independent, often law enforcement based, agency which is supposed to be neutral as to their findings; they conduct separate investigations; and 2. these investigations are often concurrent and cooperative investigations between the medical examiner’s office and the law enforcement agency.

AN OVERVIEW OF DEATH INVESTIGATION

At all death scenes there are two scenes: location(s) of the incident; and the body itself. If a crime is suspected (and all suspicious death investigations are treated as such) the incident will belong to the investigating law enforcement agency; and the body, together with all items on or about it, will belong to the medical examiner’s office. The agencies will work independently of each other with overlapping goals. The death investigator has certain responsibilities and a duty to pursue those responsibilities. Of course there are legal and cooperative exceptions to these based on the greater good of the needs of all investigating agencies, particularly involving possible homicides. The body is exclusively under the custody and control of the death investigator. Until they arrive on scene no other person can touch, move or remove the body, or those items on or about it. The assessment includes complete photography, documenting wounds and injuries, or lack thereof, rigor and livor mortis, body position and relationship to the scene and condition of the body due to postmortem interval and environment. If the body has been moved, possibly to a remote area, there will be another crime scene at the place the death actually occurred.

Another component of death investigation concerns the confidentiality of medical records [HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act]. Medical records are a very important component of the investigation and may be referred to in the autopsy report. In addition to medical history, these records may include mental health history, prescription and medication history, family history, and social history. It is important for the medical history to be shared with the forensic pathologist at the time of autopsy or as soon thereafter as possible. What might be seen as a fall and head injury at autopsy may instead be a spontaneous bleed with previous history and consequential falls.

The ‘CSI Effect’ has influenced the perceived value of an autopsy. Autopsies are valuable and are a component of a complete investigation, if one is performed. All violent, suspicious, unnatural and unattended deaths are investigated, which account for a small percentage of reported deaths. A preliminary investigation, statute and protocol will dictate if an autopsy is performed. The authorization of the autopsy depends on the circumstances of the death and the protocol of the medical examiner’s office. The autopsy consists of the gross external examination (detailed examination and documentation of the body), gross internal examination (detailed examination and documentation of the organs and internal body structure), toxicology tests, and microscopic examinations. The external examination is head to toe and includes measurements of all wounds, scars, marks, tattoos, and condition of the body and structure.

The internal examination is what is often thought of when ‘autopsy’ is mentioned. This surgical procedure includes the in situ examination of the organs, removal of them with weights, and complete external/internal examination of the organs. This examination also includes the assessment of bullet trajectory, wound tracts, ligature markings, etc. One area of specific forensic pathologist training is wound (all injuries and trauma) examination. Specimens of each organ are collected for microscopic examination, part of the anatomical and clinical certifications preceding a pathologist’s forensic certification. At the conclusion of the autopsy the functions of the forensic pathologist and death investigator temporarily separate into two different tasks. The death investigator will submit his report, detailing the findings of his scene investigation, evidence review, and medical records review. The forensic pathologist will review the death investigator’s report and case file to finalize his autopsy report and certify the Cause and Manner of Death. This is a very similar role to ours as professional Legal Investigators. We conduct our investigation, complete detailed reports and present our findings and supporting documentation to the attorney. The attorney enjoins our findings into their legal strategy to advocate for our client.

AUTOPSY REPORT FORMAT AND CONTENTS

The autopsy findings will have a Cause of Death, which will include any factors directly contributing to or causing the death (i.e. blunt force trauma or a cardiac event); and Manner of Death, which include Natural, Accident, Suicide, Homicide and Undetermined. The Mechanism of Death, or the instrument or action causing death, is often overlooked. This notation may include stab wounds, gunshot wounds, ligature strangulation, drug overdose, etc. The autopsy may support the pre-autopsy investigation and medical records, or possibly make a determination that seems unrelated to the event. An example of this is a motor vehicle collision caused by the driver having a sudden cardiac event which caused death before the accident. This is a natural death which caused the accident. Often we see deaths caused by blunt force injuries as a result of the accident, which is ruled an ‘Accident’.

The least desirable or used finding, ‘Undetermined’ is used when there has been no definitive finding as to the Manner, and possibly Cause, of death at the conclusion of the complete autopsy protocol and concurrent investigation(s). This is often seen in cases where the preponderance of one Manner does not prevail, but is consistent with or equal to another. One example of this might be a hunting incident where the decedent was alone, had suicidal history and a thorough autopsy and investigation was inconclusive as to the totality of ‘Accident’ versus ‘Suicide’.

Autopsy reports are not casual or interesting reading material. They are very informative when reviewed with all concurrent investigative reports and evidence. All autopsy reports follow a general format as approved by the National Association of Medical Examiners (thename.org). Although they may differ in appearance, the general content format consists of:

• Diagnoses
• Toxicology
• Opinion
• Circumstances of Death
• Identification of the Decedent
• General Description of Clothing and Personal Effects
• Evidence of Medical Intervention
• External Examination
• External Evidence of Injury
• Internal Examination
• Samples Obtained – Evidence, Histology and Toxicology
• and Microscopic Examination

When the autopsy report is reviewed by the lay person their focus is on the first four items, as these are the summary of the remaining medical details of the report. It is important to review the report and all of the information contained therein for the complete picture. It is also important to understand what is in an autopsy report before we can begin to decipher all the latent and patent information it contains.

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The above is an excerpt of Dean Beer’s entire article Reviewing and Comprehending Autopsy Reports.

A condensed version of the entire article also appeared in The Legal Investigator, The National Association of Legal Investigator’s official journal. See http://NALIOnline.org for more information about NALI membership.

++++

Dean A. Beers is the owner and Senior Legal Investigator of Forensic Investigators of Colorado, LLC, based in LaPorte, Colorado. He has been a legal investigator since 1987 with extensive experience in skip tracing. He left the private sector from 2005 to 2008 to work as Deputy Coroner / Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator for the Larimer County Medical Examiner’s Office. He returned to the private sector in late 2008 and now focuses primarily on the legal investigations of Personal Injury, Negligence and Death, as well as Criminal Defense. His wife, Karen, handles agency administrative matters and is also an Associate Legal Investigator. Please visit the agency website for detailed information at www.Forensic-Investigators.com.

Without a doubt, missing persons cases are truly among the most challenging assignments professional investigators face in their career.  There are many  tools available in the investigation of missing persons cases; all fifty states have missing person clearinghouses and some of them provide via their website’s search-able bulletins regarding missing persons, photos (if available),  descriptors of the missing person and other information regarding the missing persons’ case.

Now there is a free online national database recently introduced and available to the general public. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, also known as NAMUS.  This particular database contains information that has been entered by medical examiners and coroners nationwide. You can search the database by using descriptors such as sex, race, distinct body features and even dental information.

I find it to be a great source to assist the work and efforts of many individuals and organizations who investigate missing and unidentified persons.  The following video discusses the immediate impact is has had thus far:

For more information, visit http://www.namus.gov/.

This article was written by L. Scott Harrell and is posted courtesy IRBseach, LLC.

IRBsearch offers The Most information, The Best data sources, and The Fastest delivery for locating people, businesses, and their assets. With one click you can search billions of records in just a fraction of a second.

While training, certification and other association business was discussed by committee chairpersons, one of the main topics of discussion centered on proposed Alabama Senate Bill 24 that has been pre-filed for 2010 legislative consideration and heavily favored by the APIA Board of Directors in attendance. This legislation, known as the Alabama Private Investigators Licensing and Regulatory Act, would create a commission to regulate and license Private investigators in Alabama. All new private investigator applicants will be required to pass an examination administered by the commission designed to measure knowledge and competence in the investigations field and investigators will be required to have 6 hours of continuing education each calendar year.

Association members in attendance elected new officers for the 2010 Board of Directors and enjoyed a free lunch at Mr. Wang’s Chinese Restaurant, but the real highlight of the day was special guest speaker Nancy Kersh. She is an amazing woman and we were all deeply moved by her story…

The Nadia Kersh Story

November 2008 – After several years in Guam, Nancy and Kevin Kersh were very excited to be returning to the U.S. As a military family, they traveled quite a bit and Kevin had just obtained a position at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. They were particularly excited about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and a visit from their daughter Nadia and their grandson.

Before they could even settle in, on November 5, 2008 Nancy and Kevin received frightening news that their daughter Nadia had been missing since November 3, 2008 and that foul play was suspected. Nadia Kersh was last seen on surveillance video leaving her work at the Tria Market in Homewood, Alabama for her lunch break on November 3, 2008. Nadia apparently left her job in the early afternoon to pick up her 1 year old son from day care but never arrived.

The very next day in West Birmingham, AL, Nadia`s car was found abandoned and her purse was found in a nearby wooded area by some railroad tracks. The Homewood Police Department, FBI, and other federal, state, and local agencies have been actively investigating this case for over a year. It is believed Nadia was a victim of a violent crime and the Homewood Police Department is building a case against their prime suspect.

Now, One Year Later…

Nancy discussed her very personal experiences of facing a missing person crisis and how she dealt with it. She shared some very important personal experiences and issues as a result of being approached by private investigators during the early stages of the investigation into the disappearance of her daughter.

Keep the following in mind when dealing with the families of missing person’s cases:

• A private investigator should always keep in mind that although the first 48 hours following the disappearance of a person are said to be the most critical in a missing person’s case, they are also the most emotional and chaotic for the family. This may not be an appropriate time to solicit your services. It is often a good idea to leave the early stages of an investigation up to law enforcement when foul play is suspected.

If and when you do offer your services to a family:

• Treat missing persons and their families with respect
• Do not forget to convey to them – “I am so sorry for what you are going through….” It is so important to remember that family members’ lives have been turned upside down. Mrs. Kersh said that “I’m sorry…” were the two most important words she never heard.
• Expect the family to ask questions; it is their right after all.
• Recognize that family members may not be able to think rationally or make decisions for some time. Give them the space they deserve. Leave your business card rather than trying to make a hard-sell or calling them.
• Cooperate fully with law enforcement.
• Keep the family informed. Family members have a right to information.
• Never discount their hopes or their fears.
• Respect the rights of individuals, act within the boundaries of the law and be professional.

I cannot begin to imagine how extremely frightening, stressful and difficult it must be for families going through such an experience. The Kersh family is a true testament of strength, courage, and determination. You are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.

Thank you Nancy, for sharing Nadia’s story…

If you have any information on Nadia Kersh’s disappearance, please call Homewood Police at 332-6262, or leave a tip with the Homewood Police Department Website.

Want to learn more? Head to www.HelpFindNadia.com

Stephanie Mitchell
Managing Editor, Pursuit Magazine

This article is posted courtesy IRBseach, LLC.

IRBsearch offers The Most information, The Best data sources, and The Fastest delivery for locating people, businesses, and their assets. With one click you can search billions of records in just a fraction of a second.

Roger P. Gibson, the founder and director of Roger P. Gibson, Inc. in Coral Gables, Florida, unexpectedly passed away last week.

As many of you may know, Roger was a professional and well respected private investigator and veteran of the United States Marshall Service. Most recently, Roger was the 2008 Recipient of the Florida Association of Private Investigators, Presidents Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout his career Roger was commended numerous times by federal judges, prosecutors and federal law enforcement officials for his outstanding investigative abilities and achievements.

He served in a variety of specialties as a supervisor in such areas as witness protection, Presidential security details, and special strike forces for investigative fugitive/felon squads and special investigative units that have investigated political corruption including the Watergate scandal in the early 1970’s.

Roger’s memberships included the following:

• International Intelligence & Organized Crime Investigators Association – past Vice President & member of Board of Directors
• New Jersey State Policeman’s Medal of Honor Legion
• New Jersey State P.B.A. Federal Agents Local 121
• Florida Fraternal Order of Police Local 90
• Association of Former Intelligence Officers – Life Member
• Retired United States Marshals Association
• United States Marshal’s Historical Society – Board of Directors
• Florida Association of Licensed Investigators – Regional Director & co-chairman of the Statewide Process Service Legislative committee

Roger was an outstanding entrepreneur and a mentor to many and most importantly a wonderful friend to us all. He will be deeply missed in our community.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and co-workers.

We at Pursuit Magazine have felt a tremendous loss in Roger’s passing. He recently submitted an article to us to be published. As a tribute to Roger, we have posted this article in the Private Investigation section of Pursuit Magazine.

You can visit Roger’s Memorial Website, set up by Sandra Lanier, at
http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/RogerGibson/homepage.aspx

-The Staff at Pursuit Magazine

The Birmingham Police Department has reported that a brother of a car owner took the life of 28 year old Jason Lee McLendon at approximately 2:00 am on January 8, 2009. Jason McLendon was shot and killed while doing his job repossessing a Cadillac sedan.

As Jason McLendon and his partner backed up their company tow truck, the vehicle owner approached them both and asked what was going on. He proceeded to tell McLendon that he just made a payment on the vehicle. Soon after the conversation, a brother of the vehicle owner came out with a rifle.

After the rifle was brandished, McLendon and his partner got into their truck and attempted to drive away from the scene considering their safety. As they were leaving the brother of the vehicle owner fired the rifle and the bullet hit Jason McLendon in the back of his head while he was driving. It has been reported that McLendon’s partner was unharmed.

The shooter has already turned himself in to authorities and has stated that he did not intend to shoot Jason McLendon; saying that he was only trying to fire a “warning shot.”

I have the utmost respect for men and women in the collateral repossession industry. It can be such an incredibly hard and frustrating job; in today’s economic times I can’t even imagine dealing with so many irate debtors on a daily basis. Violence towards these individuals is rare but it does happen. I hope that justice will prevail in this case.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Jason McLendon from those of us here at Pursuit Magazine.

James W. Woolfolk, 39, was shot to death on March 6, 2008 while trying to arrest James Carr for skipping a court appearance on a felony drug charge. He was brutally shot three times from behind after finding Carr hiding in a bedroom closet.

James W. Woolfolk is the first bail bondsman killed in Virginia while on duty. Woolfoolk was a hard working bailbondsman and businessman. He was survived by his 14 year old daughter.

To learn more about this case view: http://www.mytimesdispatch.com/index.php/homicidearchive/comments/james_w_woolfolk_iii/4545/