What are the first steps to take when a person goes missing?

Well, the first step we take is to determine whether the person is voluntarily missing, meaning they’ve gone off on their own to do whatever they want to do in life and have been disconnected from their family. Or are they actually missing subjects that, under normal circumstances, would still be with their family? So in the more concerning case, when somebody, a child or an adult, goes missing because they’ve gone on a hike or they went down to Mexico or they went on vacation and they haven’t been seen, we have a couple of rules that we go by. First, we don’t take any cases until three days have gone by because we find a lot of people show up within 72 hours. Number two is we must insist on having a police report. There are certain things the police can do that we can’t, and there are certain things we can do that the police may not do. And then it’s a question of how old they are and what circumstances we can determine. Do we go to social media? Do we call a press conference, etc.? When you have somebody who is voluntarily missing, that’s a pretty straightforward, simple locate search. We charge $750 to put the person’s name and data into our computer system and give the person’s most current address on record. Sometimes we get emails, and sometimes we get cell phone numbers. So that is a great, straightforward, and relatively economic plan for the clients.

How effective are private investigators in finding missing persons?

Well, the rule here at Martin Investigative Services is that if we can’t find them, they won’t be found. So not only do we use all the data that’s available to us, but one of the things that we pride ourselves on is the art of interview and interrogation. So not often used in missing person cases, but that art form in talking to the family, talking to friends, talking to relatives, talking to coworkers, will, I think, about 90% of the time, lead you to finding that person.

How can social media be used to find a missing person?

Well, it’s certainly something that the family can do. We don’t rely on it very often because if somebody is either voluntarily missing or because some event has happened to them, they’re out and about and not in mainstream America; social media is not going to provide, in most cases, a link to where they’re at. Every once in a while, they may post a picture with a margarita down in Tijuana, Mexico, and then, okay, you don’t have to be a world-class investigator to know you might want to look down in Tijuana. Many investigators try to hype it up and charge a lot of money, but it’s probably on a scale of one to 10. In our world, we look at it as a one. We don’t use it very often, and there will be people who will disagree with me on that, but if you ask them if they had a hundred cases, how many did you solve by social media? They’ll come back, and if they’re honest, they’ll say zero.

WHAT TO DO IF A LOVED ONE GOES MISSING

When a loved one goes missing, your first course of action should be to contact local law enforcement. Once they're involved, it's time to bring in the professionals at MartinPI.com. Our specialized team is trained to find missing persons, whether they are estranged family members, missing due to a mental illness, or runaway teenagers. Our private investigators will start by gathering all the necessary information about the missing person. We'll need as much detail as possible about the person's physical appearance, personal life, habits, and recent activities. It's essential to provide us with any tangible leads such as letters, emails, personal belongings, etc. Once we have all the information we need, we develop a detailed plan of action. Our skilled private investigators analyze all the information and create a roadmap for the investigation. At this point, our investigators start their on-ground efforts. This could involve canvassing areas where the person was last seen, interviewing friends, neighbors, and colleagues, or even conducting covert surveillance. At MartinPI.com, we believe in keeping our clients in the loop. We maintain continuous communication and provide you with updates on our findings and the progress of the investigation. Once the missing person is located, we ensure a safe return if possible and provide the necessary support to our clients in managing the next steps. In unfortunate cases where the person cannot be found or if they've passed away, we ensure the news is delivered in the most compassionate and supportive way possible.

Finding a missing person requires the experience, resources, and expertise that MartinPI.com offers. Our team is well-versed in the legal aspects surrounding missing person cases and understands the need for swift and confidential action. We work diligently to provide answers and closure for our clients.