When we think of missing persons, we typically think of missing children, or missing women who have run afoul of a predator. We picture candlelit vigils, balloon releases, pictures of devastated families who are still waiting for answers in the disappearance of their loved one. What we don’t typically think of are suspects or subjects of an investigation who have purposely vanished in order to escape responsibility or culpability for their actions. These missing persons may be career criminals, or individuals with no history of violence. Whatever the reason for their flight, families who are victims of their crimes may opt to hire a private investigator to find a fugitive in order to facilitate delivery of justice.
One of the best recent examples of attempting to find a fugitive is the tragic case of J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan out of Iowa. Back in 2018, the children were reported missing when the family could not confirm the last time the children had been seen alive. Their mother, Lori Vallow, had recently pulled them out of school citing that the family was planning to move out of state and planning to homeschool the children. While Lori continued to remain evasive with her family regarding the details of their new living situation, J.J.’s grandparents became increasingly suspicious that Lori and her new husband, Chad Daybell, has harmed the children and were now covering up their disappearance. Following up on their grandson’s disappearance, the Rexburg police conducted a welfare check on J.J., at which time Lori advised the boy was with her friend, which turned out to be false. On November 26, 2019, the police arrive to serve the newlywed Daybells with a search warrant on their home, they discovered they had fled their home and subsequently the state. At the time, Lori and Chad Daybell were only named as persons of interest in their disappearance of Lori’s children, but their flight from police made them appear even more suspicious—to say nothing of the other suspicious deaths that surrounded the disappearance of the children. Investigators worked tirelessly to track the Daybells down to the island of Kauai, Hawaii where they were celebrating their recent marriage. Lori was under a court order to produce the children before 5 p.m. on January 30th, 2020, which she failed to do, resulting in her arrest. Following a search of Chad Daybell’s property, the remains of both children were located in his backyard, leading to his subsequent arrest.
When individuals try to outrun the law, they may be able to do so successfully due to the quality of communication between jurisdictions in the United States. While it’s true that missing persons, with or without culpability, are entered into the appropriate databases, it is perilously easy for investigators to miss crucial information on a case because it might be in another jurisdiction’s database. This is why in highly prioritized cases, the initial investigating agency will contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation to help with the search, gaining the benefit of their national resources and extended labor power. However, even with the nation’s every resource at their fingertips, it can still be difficult to find these fugitives—and that’s if the missing fugitive is a top priority.
There are many families who have experienced the perceived indifference of law enforcement in getting justice on their behalf. To find a fugitive is a very detailed process, and sometimes local entities come up short. This typically happens in cases where the initial investigating agency has been unable to build a case against them. For instance, if an individual has been murdered, their family might have every reason to believe it was at the hands of someone with whom they have a history of violence or disagreements. Following the flight of this individual from jurisdiction, if law enforcement has been unable to build a case against them, they are free to roam about the country. While they continue living their lives, families can be left twisting in the wind without answers.
In cases where law enforcement has been unable to move on a search for suspects or persons of interest in a case, families have contracted private investigators to find those subjects. Private investigators are not bound by jurisdiction, but by their licensure in respective states throughout the nation. Therefore, when a subject travels outside the jurisdiction, P.I.s do not have the typical restrictions in place that prevent them from following where the leads take them. Private investigators also have access to nationwide databases for both public and restricted records in any state. If the missing subject attempts to reboot their life in another part of the country using their identity, private investigators can locate their new area of operations. Private investigators can assemble detailed reports on these subjects and coordinate with local law enforcement in order to successfully recover those individuals.
If your family needs help finding a person of interest in your case, call Lauth Investigations International today for a free quote on how our investigators can help you. Call 317-951-1100 or visit us online at www.lauthmissinstg.wpengine.com