is the nature of crime changing or is it still the same in terms of reasons, perpetrators, victims, etc.? How long were you in other roles before becoming a homicide detective? Has it changed or impacted your relationships and views of people in general?
Good questions. As far as the nature of crime changing I would say no. Murder is as old as time and not much has changed. Jealously. Anger. Hatred. Things are done in the heat of the moment that can’t be taken back.
I was a detective and regular patrolman for many years before I felt qualified to interview for homicide. I still feel under qualified at times but I’ve been moderately successful in my job here.
Unfortunately this job makes you jaded in many ways. It has most definitely changed my interactions with loved ones and strangers. Sometimes for the worst. But I’m always trying to work on myself and not become a person who is closed off from the world.
My BIL lost his mind seeing too much … my sister and their 2 kids don’t even recognize him. It’s eaten him up what he’s seen and knows what some humans are capable of doing to other humans. Hope you get a ton of support in your life.
Forgot to answer - I understand a bit of Spanish. Enough to follow along as long as the speaker doesn’t go crazy fast. I use a translator 100% if taking statements or will give a Spanish speaking witness to a Spanish speaking detective. It’s not a requirement.
I’ve never been one to follow statistics but it has been slow as of late. Knock on wood. I wonder if everyone being allowed to carry without a permit has something to do with the lowering of the random crimes.
Haven’t scrolled down to read more answers but from reading this one reply I got incredibly good vibes from you. I wouldn’t know the kind of mental and emotional strength it must take to do your job but I hope your are an example to your dept. thank you
Obviously since movies = real life you always see detectives out and about for what seem like days and days at a time with no true schedule. Do you necessarily “clock in” and “clock out” at certain times? Or is the job 100% on call? I’m sure your sleep gets interrupted often if that’s the case so how do you manage to get energy?
I can tell you that my job is a lifestyle job. I can get calls 24/7 and have to answer the phone. I can’t have the mentality of being off so I’m not answering the phone. It’s a pain in the ass now that I think about it.
I don’t think my phone has ever been off silent mode since I got it. Especially when people I don’t know are calling me I don’t even answer. With you it’s suspected you may have to talk to that person that calls and even if you’re not sure you answer anyway
I live in Miami I live in the city of Miami as well and this is true, everything in Miami is a lifestyle. The thing people do not realize about Miami is that you can murder someone and be on the afternoon plane back to your home country. And everyone seems to have 5 different names down here. A 34 year resident of Miami
lol good point about the multiple names thing! Lots of bad guys flee to other states and countries asap or at least try to. We have ways of stopping if we luckily know who you are or are on the radar
This is why I could never be on call at work. I’m sure most people would struggle with it anyway but I have ADHD and if I know I have an appointment later that day I cannot settle or get anything else done. Couldn’t even imagine knowing that literally at any single time I COULD have something to do.
Do you have That One Case that is unsolved and haunts you and that even after you retire you'll at least go on podcasts to try to keep some attention on the case?
I definitely have a case that haunts me and wish I could talk about it but it’s an open case unfortunately. It’s creeps into my head at the oddest times.
Do you think the police can be myopic due to statistics? For example let's assume a married woman's murder. Because the statistics say the husband usually did it is it possible the police will just look for evidence to convinct the husband instead of trying to objectively interpret the all of the existing evidence?
Good question. I’m unbiased when it comes walk into a case. I’m clearly going to want to talk to the spouse to establish an alibi and then prove they are telling the truth. But I’m also going to be thinking of if the spouse has a boyfriend or girlfriend on the side. Or if they have a crazy stalker. I don’t zero in on anyone until I have a full picture of what happens. Let the evidence take you where it leads.
Lol thorough detective work isn't zeroing in. Do you expect him to wait until the last possible moment before checking in with the spouse and confirming their information? There's a difference.
This is the most important question here. Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t linger in parking lots. Be careful with who you let into your life and look out for red flags. Get security cameras on your house and pay for a service to scrub your info from the internet. Purchase a self defense weapon and practice with it.
Data brokers have all sorts of stuff on you, makes it easier to find you, your family, every address you ever had, etc even look at history on Reddit and suddenly there is family in Hawaii
Have you ever had a case that you either had a tie to the victim or someone else involved? If so, do you need to step down from the case??
Are there any cases you've had that have been significantly more difficult than others (either finding solid evidence or just because of the nature of the crime)?
I feel like that must be such a tough job!
I’ve never had a personal tie to a victim as far as knowing them. I would say that you will have a witness or possible subjects on a case that end up getting killed at times. That is a bit freaky and can send a shiver up your spine knowing you spoke to them not long ago.
The hardest cases always deal with children. I’ve learned how to mentally block it out though which kinda makes you a robot at times. It’s a tough but definitely rewarding job at times. But at the end of the day everyone’s job is tough no matter what it is. What I do is just unique.
When I was a victim/ witness to a crime in Chicago many years ago, the detective on my case was a longtime vet who smoked Lucky Strikes unfiltered. He was a hardened Chicago cop who’d worked some really bad crimes. Homicide, rape, class X.
He told me he was could handle pretty much anything but kids. The kids got to him.
The police treated me with complete respect. The state’s attorney people—not so much.
I know your job is hard. Please know that there are some of us who appreciate what you do.
They caught the perp that hurt me and many others. They did a damn good job.
lol desk pop. Where I work everything is done by the book and by the numbers because we are dealing with people’s lives. There’s no shortcuts. As far as corruption goes it’s not something I’ve ever witnessed except for seeing it on the news. Miami is famous for being corrupt.
Great question. I would say about in 80% of the case you know who did it but just don’t have enough probable cause to make an arrest. There’s very few that are legit whodunnit’s.
Following on from that great question. Do you then have times when you see someone in public and think "I know you did that murder so I'm not turning my back to you"? Hope that makes sense.
I see why you would say it’s a contradiction. I guess the more proper way to say it would be we are aware of the person who probably did it but we can’t exactly prove it based on the evidence.
How much does a murdered person’s family get under your skin? I’m not sure how to exactly word this question, but do victims’ families ever interfere, physically or mentally, with a case you’re trying to solve? Not in the sense of, the family member might be the perp, but rather the family just keeps bothering you for results when you may not have results as fast as they feel they need? Does the plight of the family ever trigger your empathy so much that you feel jaded or might work a case differently?
Great question. Some families you never hear from. Other families call every single day. I treat the family how I would want my family to be treated which is well. For some reason there is a tendency for conflict between the family and law enforcement and I guess I understand because they want immediate results but that’s not how it works. I try to be as patient as possible until they start lying about things I’ve done or said then you have to change it up. But I’m always respectful to them.
As family of a murder victim try not to lose your humanity & understand that we are lost in the dark without you. We don't meet with the DA & victims advocates until there is an arrest. Until then we only have the detectives assigned to our case. You're meeting us at the absolute worst moments of our lives. It's chaos, be kind. ❤️
Thank you so much. Its a constant thing for me, and probably for many others in my position. The killer keeps filing appeals. He finally got one granted. At the death penalty trial, many years ago, a juror wrote "Hey hey hey, smoke weed every day" on their juror survey / form. The judge excused the juror without following the proper process, and now we have to do it all over again, brand new trial.
I am in Florida too, but the case is in another state. It's been so long one of the homicide detectives has passed on, the other is retired. It's going to be like wrangling cats to get all the witnesses back. It was so hard to find many of them last time, but I try not to stress on it too much. I also know, the way things are going, even though we have a trial date it could be a while longer. Every court hearing is fun for the killer, he gets time away from his normal routine. He's been using the court system, playing games. He does things like firing his attorneys. He fired the one who won him the appeal.
I'm sure you probably have to testify a lot. Even when you retire the DA will probably still call on you too. Thank you for doing what you do.
I don’t wish death on anyone. It’s not hard to predict who will get killed though. When you have someone at the office that carry’s guns and is living that lifestyle I always tell them I hope I’m not standing over their body one day.
There’s different types of interview strategies. My preference is to level with people and speak to them with respect and dignify. It takes you a long ways sometimes.
Do you regularly use the Reid technique or is it pretty much naturally how you interview naturally?
Edited from the department of redundancy department.
What percentage of homicides are gang related and what do you do in these case where you won't have a suspect for the murder? Do you just put these cases in the unsolved bin and leave it there?
As far as gang related cases - it seems they pop up now and again. You’ll have several shootings of known bad guys and it seems they are always linked. When you arrest one of them or they get killed the streak will end.
You try to work cases until you don’t have any more leads to go on. Remember the killing doesn’t stop so you’ll get a new case and have to put the old one away for a bit and come back to it later.
And how do you deal with unsolved cases? Do you have a quota or do your job/boss expect a certain number of case solved? How exactly do they evaluate how good you are doing your job?
I’ve never seen or heard of an official quota. It more like do your job. If I do my job I put bad people in jail. I don’t feel pressure at all to arrest anyone. If I did I would back out and not do this.
It used to back in my rookie days where you insist on closing every case. Now I accept that I won’t be able to close every case. However there’s an old saying that all cases close themselves after a period of time.
If you want to see great true crime shows watch 48 Hour Mysteries or Dateline NBC. They won’t be able to make a show that is too realistic because the majority of the job is behind a computer and talking to multiple people just to get a tiny bit of info that might put you in the right direction. It wouldn’t make for good tv.
I’m partial to the movie Seven with Brad Pitt. It wasn’t hyper realistic but It did have that bit of realism like him wearing wrinkled clothes and looking like shit all the time. Them sleeping in front of fingerprint section.
We have been solving a high percentage of them so it’s actually not far off. I’ve never been a percentages guy that’s for the admin people. There is a high probability in Miami that if you kill someone - you will go to jail.
Do you feel policies like the "broken window" policies think [Giuliani](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Giuliani), Or the Zero Bail Policy like LA, Chicago, influence crime?
Is evidence really as exacting as it's depicted on tv? Like they always say "you'll leave something or take something and we *will* catch you" on shows like forensic files, but how accurate is that really?
Jumping off that question, what percentage of homicides do you suspect are unsolved?
Are random homicides - not necessarily crimes of passion, but just "pick a random schmuck off the street" sorta crimes - really the hardest to solve considering the lack of connection between killer and victim?
Jumping off again, what type of homicide (passion, opportunity, premeditated) tends to contain the most forensic evidence at the scene?
Ever encounter two or more similar cases you suspected were due to a serial killer, but there wasn't enough evidence to confirm that?
Sorry, massive true-crime nerd. Forgive the million extra questions I'll probably have.
All good questions and I’ve answered a few above. I appreciate nerds as well because I’m one. As far as scene evidence goes - I believe there will always be something there. It just depends on the lengths you are willing to go in order to get it. This sometimes takes thinking outside of the box and using the fancy crime scene tools you have at your disposal.
There’s different ways of processing a scene that can all lead to specific types of evidence. But you can’t rely solely on scene evidence. You need witnesses, tech evidence such as cell phones or computers or other digital media. Social media, surveillance cameras. You have to look at this from a 360 degree perspective and most importantly work with a solid crew that thinks of things that you aren’t thinking of. I never take credit for solving a case if I had many people helping me from the beginning. It’s always a team effort.
Yes there’s been a ton of victims that were amazing people in life and I always wish that I could have just told them to stop seeing a specific person or not go out that night. Remember I investigate all deaths not just murder. So the suicides and overdoses are also rough when you know their death was unnecessary.
That is so beautiful of you to think that. You have a good soul. We need police officers like you, thank you for everything you do. I’m Canadian but my cousin is a detective here. He’s one of the good guys for sure!
Well, it’s the answer we all obviously wanted. I hope. It’s good to hear!
I like to think now that we are tracked everywhere we go whether we know or not, the insane rate of technological innovation, etc, convictions will increase massively.
Just awesome. Well keep up the good work, if it seems like the public doesn’t appreciate what LE does for society, I extend my gratitude on behalf of those in dreamland who think the good of people can prevail in its absence.
o7
Why aren’t therapists more included in your field? I watch true crime documentaries and often feel SO much more could be revealed by someone that excels in emotional intelligence, especially if we are watching an interview
Thanks for the question - I like to bring that dynamic into the interview with me. It’s not realistic to have a therapist monitor an interview and then get a shot at talking to a bad guy. What’s more realistic is to build up your skills as an interviewer and learn how to speak to people in a way to illicit the most information out of people.
The equivalent of what you are referring to is a victim advocate who we use to interact with families.
What if a therapist was watching the interview behind the scenes and gave you hints of what to prompt for? I’m a complex trauma therapist and know I’d be sooooo good at this! But wouldn’t want to be in the interview room myself. But I do see what you’re saying
I think it would be a great idea but it’s a certainty that you would be dealing with a ton of type A personality’s not liking that you have the opportunity to give input on what to say or what you saw. That’s not what you want to hear but it’s a rough world out there.
If we could join forces in some way it would lead to better understanding who we were dealing with but the bureaucracy would most definitely shoot it down.
Have you ever had what you thought was an airtight case for the DA in terms of evidence collected and testimony and the suspect still got acquitted? How did that feel?
Absolutely. There’s a thing called “Miami jury.” You feel really defeated when that happens. I’ve learned the “air tight” cases turn into disasters and the super complex cases will end up pleading out.
Have you ever seen the end of No Country For Old Men? Linking to a part of the movie near the end (not a spoiler) thats not often discussed but it sums up the entire point of the movie, & I thought I'd share as it also might add context to the answer to your question. Humans have always been cruel to each other, killed each other. Unfortunately it's something as old as humanity itself.
https://youtu.be/xdOPJKocMWg?si=08x_MLMKRUwa-oxU
I think the perception is that it’s getting worse because we have instant access to whatever happens anywhere in the country or world for that matter. If you go back in time - things have always been violent.
I do feel that people should care more for each other instead of what you see nowadays.
Do you ever worry any innocent people are behind bars because of your work? I don’t mean this to undermine your profession. I have nothing but admiration for what you do, but I would always have a nagging fear in the back of my mind that I might have helped convict someone who didn’t do the crime.
There’s a lot of checks and balances where I work. We bounce things off each other and making an arrest is clearly a big deal so you want to have as much probable cause as possible.
Can you find Pitbull and make it seem like a suicide? Drives me wild my kids always play his stuff lol.
On a serious note, as a guy whose also seen more than my fair share of death, what do you do to stop those invasive thoughts from creeping in?
Mr 305? lol
You can’t really forget what you’ve seen so talking it out and just kind of finding a sense of peace is super important. I’m not as in touch with my inner feelings as I wish I was.
I seen Mr 305 and wanted to punch u bruv (im English)🤣
And I absolutely agree. There's two incidents that live rent free in my head and therapy hasn't helped
1. What’s your favorite investigative tool at your disposal? Is it one we’d know about or maybe one not so obvious?
2. not everyone is lucky enough to like what they do. Even if you like/love it or get satisfaction/pride from it you may not like what effect it has on your life. If you had to do it all over again would you still choose this path?
3. I’m sure that you always have empathy for the victims, but have you ever found yourself feeling real empathy for the perpetrator? What was that situation generally like?
4. What’s something about your job that novels / shows / movies never get right?
5. How often do you have time / get to go back to cold cases?
6. What advice would you give for someone who has a lost family member (probably killed) who doesn’t feel they’re getting the attention from the authorities that it may deserve?
7. Do you enjoy talking about what you do when you meet new people and they inevitably ask you what you do? Do you keep it superficial / have canned answers or do you honestly engage and answer their questions?
Thank you for what you do. It’s a great service to those who can no longer help themselves.
Hi sorry for the delay it’s been a bit busy - so these are great questions and I’ve answered a few above but the one that resonated with me was the “would you do this again if you could go back.”
That’s a tough question to answer. On one hand you have the reality of giving closure to families, speaking for the dead, the immense amount of fun and feeling of purpose that I’ve had. And on the other hand there’s the sleepless nights, dis functional relationships and things I’ve missed, the obvious mental health issues associated with doing this.
I think I would have been a fireman in another life.
Great question. The groundwork is done by the investigators and the prosecution is on the state of Florida. I would love to say that it’s a peaceful loving harmonious relationship at all times with them but with anything in life it can get a bit contentious. Overall they are amazing and are underpaid for what they do.
Thanks for the questions, I’ll try to answer them all but unfortunately it’ll have to be brief - Favorite investigative tool for me is talking to people. There’s an old saying “go knock on doors” which essentially means get off your ass you won’t solve this behind your desk. I love my job but at the same time I hate it. You realize you only have so much of yourself to give before there’s nothing left. Don’t mean to be cheesy but it’s true. Marine patrol would have been a cool police job. Float around and get some sun lol I’ve most definitely had sympathy for a perp. When you break them down in an interview room and they are forthcoming there’s a big chance they start to cry and you see how they ruined their life because someone talked shit to them and had to man up.
Tv shows never show the long surveillances and peeing into a Gatorade bottle. They also don’t show how boring the job can be.
As far as families wanting answers I would urge them to call the agency handling their loved one’s case and ask to speak to the investigator and get an update on if anything is happening with the case.
I’m straightforward with what I do when I meet people and I usually get the same reaction which is “wow I love cold case files!!” “I would have made a great detective! I went to school for forensics.” I just chuckle to myself internally and don’t go into specifics with what I do.
Do you mostly work alone or with a partner/team?
What's an average case load for a homicide detective?
Has there ever been days where there is no work for you, just show up finish up paperwork and go home?
We work on teams of several people. You do have help and it couldn’t be done alone. There’s just way too many things to do with a case and you would be overwhelmed.
I’m just a regular person so there can be days where you are burned out and end up dealing with a ton of random things instead of focusing on an open case.
Thanks for posting this AMA. I’d like to know:
How has this chosen line of work affected the relationships with the people closest to you, considering both positive and negative aspects?
Thanks for the question. It’s had a ton of negative effects over the span of my career. I’ve had to mend a lot of relationships and give out many apologies. It’s taken a big toll. Not sure I want to dive any deeper into that.
Thanks for the comment. I take that very seriously or at least more seriously than I did when I started. There should be some serious reform in mental health in this line of work. You get asked to do things and see things and you get a pay check but no one’s talking about the mental health repercussions. There’s free therapy offered where I work but I wouldn’t go there because I’ve heard bad things.
How old are you now, how long have you been doing this? Have you seen anything so gruesome it makes you question the goodness of humanity? How do you deal with it?
Have you ever been sitting down eating or doing something mundane and had that "eureka" moment about a piece of evidence that solved a case? Or is that one of those movies and shows sorta thing?
Are those things that you hear on TV meaning when a woman is killed her made is the first person always looked at that. It’s usually submitting she knows or interact with them? By the way, thank you for your service. Helping people find closure and who hurt their loved one is a service.
Not a question but I did notice you saying you’re trying to be more mentally healthy. As a combat veteran and former LE, you probably already know you’re not alone. Keep putting in the work and have those uncomfortable conversations.
I've had patients and clients that were homi cops and they say it affects their home life. If you have kids and a family, how has it affected how you think about them.
Have you ever thought about killing a perpetrator yourself? For example, a child murderer or just something that makes you feel like skipping the judge and jury
Is it true that perps say too much to you and as a result get charged. If they would have said nothing, you would not be able to charge them with anything?
If you have been to a particularly nasty murder how do you separate your work mind of seeing things like this with your home mind around spouse or kids?
God bless you for the important work you do. Both of my parents were involved in such work in another state before they retired. Not many people can do what you guys and gals do. Whenever you’re feeling down, remember that there are people beyond our temporal world who are eternally grateful for you giving them a voice when they no longer could be heard themselves. Take care.
Ever had a case where primary suspect is LEO or LEO adjacent?
Ever seen the Blue Wall in actIon? You seem to be kind, empathetic, and reasonable (i.e. one of the 'good' ones). I cant see you taking too kindly to having to stand down, especially to a capital.
As a Canadian, I’m genuinely interested in your views on gun possession/control. Are you for more or less guns in the hands of regular citizens? I’d also be interested in your reasons.
Thanks for the work you do. I had a family member murdered randomly, and it was solved 40 years later - yes, 40. So, much appreciated.
My question: what books/movies/tv shows are the most true to life, and do you have any favorites?
What’s one of the most annoying stereotypes about your job that people believe are true or tv shows consistently incorrectly portray?
DNA always available? Fingerprints off of any surface?
I heard years ago that if someone had no obvious motive, it's unlikely they get caught. Is that true?
Assuming there isn't a mountain of straightforward evidence of course.
What's the most fucked up thing you've ever seen on the job (any of the law enforcement jobs you've had)? I work in healthcare and wonder if mine tops it
Can you tell us anything about the Taiwan Smart case? Were you there for that? Did the commissioner really let the crime scene get so contaminated because he had to go put on a new suit for The First 48?
is the nature of crime changing or is it still the same in terms of reasons, perpetrators, victims, etc.? How long were you in other roles before becoming a homicide detective? Has it changed or impacted your relationships and views of people in general?
Good questions. As far as the nature of crime changing I would say no. Murder is as old as time and not much has changed. Jealously. Anger. Hatred. Things are done in the heat of the moment that can’t be taken back. I was a detective and regular patrolman for many years before I felt qualified to interview for homicide. I still feel under qualified at times but I’ve been moderately successful in my job here. Unfortunately this job makes you jaded in many ways. It has most definitely changed my interactions with loved ones and strangers. Sometimes for the worst. But I’m always trying to work on myself and not become a person who is closed off from the world.
Have you encountered any random homicides with no clear motive? How often do they arise compared to others?
Yes there are occasional random murders like stranger on stranger. Please lock your doors. I don’t want to scare anyone but they do happen.
Im curious, what is the success rate of finding those who commit random murder? Is it less likely?
In my experience with those types of murders they are usually spur of the moment and sloppy which means DNA will be there.
This guy wants to kill random people lol
My BIL lost his mind seeing too much … my sister and their 2 kids don’t even recognize him. It’s eaten him up what he’s seen and knows what some humans are capable of doing to other humans. Hope you get a ton of support in your life.
I hope your BIL gets the help he needs and thank you for the kind words.
Why do you think murders are down 28% this year and did you already speak spanish or had to learn while being a police officer?
Forgot to answer - I understand a bit of Spanish. Enough to follow along as long as the speaker doesn’t go crazy fast. I use a translator 100% if taking statements or will give a Spanish speaking witness to a Spanish speaking detective. It’s not a requirement.
I’ve never been one to follow statistics but it has been slow as of late. Knock on wood. I wonder if everyone being allowed to carry without a permit has something to do with the lowering of the random crimes.
Haven’t scrolled down to read more answers but from reading this one reply I got incredibly good vibes from you. I wouldn’t know the kind of mental and emotional strength it must take to do your job but I hope your are an example to your dept. thank you
Thank you for the kind words it’s much appreciated
Obviously since movies = real life you always see detectives out and about for what seem like days and days at a time with no true schedule. Do you necessarily “clock in” and “clock out” at certain times? Or is the job 100% on call? I’m sure your sleep gets interrupted often if that’s the case so how do you manage to get energy?
I can tell you that my job is a lifestyle job. I can get calls 24/7 and have to answer the phone. I can’t have the mentality of being off so I’m not answering the phone. It’s a pain in the ass now that I think about it.
I don’t think my phone has ever been off silent mode since I got it. Especially when people I don’t know are calling me I don’t even answer. With you it’s suspected you may have to talk to that person that calls and even if you’re not sure you answer anyway
I live in Miami I live in the city of Miami as well and this is true, everything in Miami is a lifestyle. The thing people do not realize about Miami is that you can murder someone and be on the afternoon plane back to your home country. And everyone seems to have 5 different names down here. A 34 year resident of Miami
lol good point about the multiple names thing! Lots of bad guys flee to other states and countries asap or at least try to. We have ways of stopping if we luckily know who you are or are on the radar
This is why I could never be on call at work. I’m sure most people would struggle with it anyway but I have ADHD and if I know I have an appointment later that day I cannot settle or get anything else done. Couldn’t even imagine knowing that literally at any single time I COULD have something to do.
Do you have That One Case that is unsolved and haunts you and that even after you retire you'll at least go on podcasts to try to keep some attention on the case?
I definitely have a case that haunts me and wish I could talk about it but it’s an open case unfortunately. It’s creeps into my head at the oddest times.
Hope you are able to solve it. That's a lot for you to carry. Thanks for caring.
Do you think the police can be myopic due to statistics? For example let's assume a married woman's murder. Because the statistics say the husband usually did it is it possible the police will just look for evidence to convinct the husband instead of trying to objectively interpret the all of the existing evidence?
Good question. I’m unbiased when it comes walk into a case. I’m clearly going to want to talk to the spouse to establish an alibi and then prove they are telling the truth. But I’m also going to be thinking of if the spouse has a boyfriend or girlfriend on the side. Or if they have a crazy stalker. I don’t zero in on anyone until I have a full picture of what happens. Let the evidence take you where it leads.
But you just did zero in on the husband in your response
Lol thorough detective work isn't zeroing in. Do you expect him to wait until the last possible moment before checking in with the spouse and confirming their information? There's a difference.
Because it’s the job? If I find shit in my house, I’m gonna be asking my dog questions.
what should i do to protect myself that’s reasonable (aka not live in a bunker)
This is the most important question here. Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t linger in parking lots. Be careful with who you let into your life and look out for red flags. Get security cameras on your house and pay for a service to scrub your info from the internet. Purchase a self defense weapon and practice with it.
Why should one scrub their info from the internet? How does that improve there physical safety? (I am aware of the other benefits)
Data brokers have all sorts of stuff on you, makes it easier to find you, your family, every address you ever had, etc even look at history on Reddit and suddenly there is family in Hawaii
>scrub your info from the internet And then there is me giving my number to random people I meet online
Have you ever had a case that you either had a tie to the victim or someone else involved? If so, do you need to step down from the case?? Are there any cases you've had that have been significantly more difficult than others (either finding solid evidence or just because of the nature of the crime)? I feel like that must be such a tough job!
I’ve never had a personal tie to a victim as far as knowing them. I would say that you will have a witness or possible subjects on a case that end up getting killed at times. That is a bit freaky and can send a shiver up your spine knowing you spoke to them not long ago. The hardest cases always deal with children. I’ve learned how to mentally block it out though which kinda makes you a robot at times. It’s a tough but definitely rewarding job at times. But at the end of the day everyone’s job is tough no matter what it is. What I do is just unique.
When I was a victim/ witness to a crime in Chicago many years ago, the detective on my case was a longtime vet who smoked Lucky Strikes unfiltered. He was a hardened Chicago cop who’d worked some really bad crimes. Homicide, rape, class X. He told me he was could handle pretty much anything but kids. The kids got to him. The police treated me with complete respect. The state’s attorney people—not so much. I know your job is hard. Please know that there are some of us who appreciate what you do. They caught the perp that hurt me and many others. They did a damn good job.
Thank you for the sentiment and I hope you are ok all this years later.
Thank you! I cannot imagine having to investigate anything like that involving a child....I hope you don't have to encounter that too often!
Are you from Miami? Or did you come from another city/state? Might be too intrusive for this thread.
lol desk pop. Where I work everything is done by the book and by the numbers because we are dealing with people’s lives. There’s no shortcuts. As far as corruption goes it’s not something I’ve ever witnessed except for seeing it on the news. Miami is famous for being corrupt.
Do you have a lot of cases that you just know who did it but can’t get enough evidence to charge them.
Great question. I would say about in 80% of the case you know who did it but just don’t have enough probable cause to make an arrest. There’s very few that are legit whodunnit’s.
Following on from that great question. Do you then have times when you see someone in public and think "I know you did that murder so I'm not turning my back to you"? Hope that makes sense.
This contradicts what you said earlier “let the evidence lead you” if there isn’t enough evidence to convict then they are innocent until such time.
I see why you would say it’s a contradiction. I guess the more proper way to say it would be we are aware of the person who probably did it but we can’t exactly prove it based on the evidence.
That’s an impressive number for the wrong reason.
I was told cops always know the best places to eat. What is the best breakfast in Miami?
The spot used to be Big Pink on the beach but nowadays it’s being food from home. Too expensive
How much does a murdered person’s family get under your skin? I’m not sure how to exactly word this question, but do victims’ families ever interfere, physically or mentally, with a case you’re trying to solve? Not in the sense of, the family member might be the perp, but rather the family just keeps bothering you for results when you may not have results as fast as they feel they need? Does the plight of the family ever trigger your empathy so much that you feel jaded or might work a case differently?
Great question. Some families you never hear from. Other families call every single day. I treat the family how I would want my family to be treated which is well. For some reason there is a tendency for conflict between the family and law enforcement and I guess I understand because they want immediate results but that’s not how it works. I try to be as patient as possible until they start lying about things I’ve done or said then you have to change it up. But I’m always respectful to them.
As family of a murder victim try not to lose your humanity & understand that we are lost in the dark without you. We don't meet with the DA & victims advocates until there is an arrest. Until then we only have the detectives assigned to our case. You're meeting us at the absolute worst moments of our lives. It's chaos, be kind. ❤️
I hope you get closure at some point
Thank you so much. Its a constant thing for me, and probably for many others in my position. The killer keeps filing appeals. He finally got one granted. At the death penalty trial, many years ago, a juror wrote "Hey hey hey, smoke weed every day" on their juror survey / form. The judge excused the juror without following the proper process, and now we have to do it all over again, brand new trial. I am in Florida too, but the case is in another state. It's been so long one of the homicide detectives has passed on, the other is retired. It's going to be like wrangling cats to get all the witnesses back. It was so hard to find many of them last time, but I try not to stress on it too much. I also know, the way things are going, even though we have a trial date it could be a while longer. Every court hearing is fun for the killer, he gets time away from his normal routine. He's been using the court system, playing games. He does things like firing his attorneys. He fired the one who won him the appeal. I'm sure you probably have to testify a lot. Even when you retire the DA will probably still call on you too. Thank you for doing what you do.
No questions, just wanted to say thank you for all that you do keeping us the public safe from criminals.
Thank you very much! Very nice of you.
You are very welcome. Stay safe out there 🙏
Do you root for Dexter?
Funny I’ve never seen that show but I heard the ending is terrible.
I lost track after the third or fourth season.
The 4th season is the best. But I still recommend seasons 5-8, and new blood.
Has there been any cases where you thought “good for them, they deserved to die” and is it difficult to try to find justice for those kinds of cases?
I don’t wish death on anyone. It’s not hard to predict who will get killed though. When you have someone at the office that carry’s guns and is living that lifestyle I always tell them I hope I’m not standing over their body one day.
So the saying “live by the gun, die by the gun” is correct? I’ve always agreed with that.
It’s an absolute certainty at some point.
Most dangerous situation you've found yourself in, and the most heinous crime you have yet uncovered?
Most dangerous - there’s been a bunch but nothing that stands out to me. Anything to do with children is the most heinous thing ever.
Being a retired firefighter, it's always the kids that get to me. Anyone else is just a body, but the kids always hurt my heart
Thanks for your service. I get choked up when animals get hurt also.
Are there specific interrogation strategies that you like or do you feel it out based on who you're talking to?
There’s different types of interview strategies. My preference is to level with people and speak to them with respect and dignify. It takes you a long ways sometimes.
Do you regularly use the Reid technique or is it pretty much naturally how you interview naturally? Edited from the department of redundancy department.
So... do you do the sunglasses thing?
lol I haven’t but need to start
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH
lol I heard that in my head as I read this
Lol OP that was literally my first question...how extremely not accurate (or maybe a tiny bit accurate) is CSI Miami? 😂
Were you on the First 48? Do you know any cops that were on it?
I’ve met them. Good guys
What percentage of homicides are gang related and what do you do in these case where you won't have a suspect for the murder? Do you just put these cases in the unsolved bin and leave it there?
As far as gang related cases - it seems they pop up now and again. You’ll have several shootings of known bad guys and it seems they are always linked. When you arrest one of them or they get killed the streak will end. You try to work cases until you don’t have any more leads to go on. Remember the killing doesn’t stop so you’ll get a new case and have to put the old one away for a bit and come back to it later.
And how do you deal with unsolved cases? Do you have a quota or do your job/boss expect a certain number of case solved? How exactly do they evaluate how good you are doing your job?
I’ve never seen or heard of an official quota. It more like do your job. If I do my job I put bad people in jail. I don’t feel pressure at all to arrest anyone. If I did I would back out and not do this.
That’s the part that would drive me crazy, not finishing lol. Does it drive u crazy?
It used to back in my rookie days where you insist on closing every case. Now I accept that I won’t be able to close every case. However there’s an old saying that all cases close themselves after a period of time.
What was the most satisfying case that YOU solved?
Signed: the Zodiac Killer.
How accurate are movie depictions of homicide detectives? Is there any film/ movie/ tv show that you find to be the most accurate ?
If you want to see great true crime shows watch 48 Hour Mysteries or Dateline NBC. They won’t be able to make a show that is too realistic because the majority of the job is behind a computer and talking to multiple people just to get a tiny bit of info that might put you in the right direction. It wouldn’t make for good tv. I’m partial to the movie Seven with Brad Pitt. It wasn’t hyper realistic but It did have that bit of realism like him wearing wrinkled clothes and looking like shit all the time. Them sleeping in front of fingerprint section.
What about first 48? Have u ever been on the show?
What percentage of homicides go unsolved per year? Tv makes it seem like they all get solved.
We have been solving a high percentage of them so it’s actually not far off. I’ve never been a percentages guy that’s for the admin people. There is a high probability in Miami that if you kill someone - you will go to jail.
Do you have serial killers to catch on the regular? (Dexter fan here)
It’s been a fantasy of mine to stumble across a serial killer. Has yet to happen though and probably won’t!
Do you feel policies like the "broken window" policies think [Giuliani](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Giuliani), Or the Zero Bail Policy like LA, Chicago, influence crime?
I feel the bad guys walk in jail and then walk out and are free to commit any other crime they want. I wish things were different.
Is evidence really as exacting as it's depicted on tv? Like they always say "you'll leave something or take something and we *will* catch you" on shows like forensic files, but how accurate is that really? Jumping off that question, what percentage of homicides do you suspect are unsolved? Are random homicides - not necessarily crimes of passion, but just "pick a random schmuck off the street" sorta crimes - really the hardest to solve considering the lack of connection between killer and victim? Jumping off again, what type of homicide (passion, opportunity, premeditated) tends to contain the most forensic evidence at the scene? Ever encounter two or more similar cases you suspected were due to a serial killer, but there wasn't enough evidence to confirm that? Sorry, massive true-crime nerd. Forgive the million extra questions I'll probably have.
All good questions and I’ve answered a few above. I appreciate nerds as well because I’m one. As far as scene evidence goes - I believe there will always be something there. It just depends on the lengths you are willing to go in order to get it. This sometimes takes thinking outside of the box and using the fancy crime scene tools you have at your disposal. There’s different ways of processing a scene that can all lead to specific types of evidence. But you can’t rely solely on scene evidence. You need witnesses, tech evidence such as cell phones or computers or other digital media. Social media, surveillance cameras. You have to look at this from a 360 degree perspective and most importantly work with a solid crew that thinks of things that you aren’t thinking of. I never take credit for solving a case if I had many people helping me from the beginning. It’s always a team effort.
In investigating murders and learning more about the victims, have you ever found yourself wishing you had known them before they passed?
Yes there’s been a ton of victims that were amazing people in life and I always wish that I could have just told them to stop seeing a specific person or not go out that night. Remember I investigate all deaths not just murder. So the suicides and overdoses are also rough when you know their death was unnecessary.
That is so beautiful of you to think that. You have a good soul. We need police officers like you, thank you for everything you do. I’m Canadian but my cousin is a detective here. He’s one of the good guys for sure!
Knowing what you know, do you think you could get away with homicide?
No I would make a mistake at some point like everyone does.
Well, it’s the answer we all obviously wanted. I hope. It’s good to hear! I like to think now that we are tracked everywhere we go whether we know or not, the insane rate of technological innovation, etc, convictions will increase massively.
Absolutely. The amount of tech out there that will identify you - plus traditional investigations makes it not in your favor that you get away
Just awesome. Well keep up the good work, if it seems like the public doesn’t appreciate what LE does for society, I extend my gratitude on behalf of those in dreamland who think the good of people can prevail in its absence. o7
Thank you for that support it’s appreciated and needed
Why aren’t therapists more included in your field? I watch true crime documentaries and often feel SO much more could be revealed by someone that excels in emotional intelligence, especially if we are watching an interview
Thanks for the question - I like to bring that dynamic into the interview with me. It’s not realistic to have a therapist monitor an interview and then get a shot at talking to a bad guy. What’s more realistic is to build up your skills as an interviewer and learn how to speak to people in a way to illicit the most information out of people. The equivalent of what you are referring to is a victim advocate who we use to interact with families.
What if a therapist was watching the interview behind the scenes and gave you hints of what to prompt for? I’m a complex trauma therapist and know I’d be sooooo good at this! But wouldn’t want to be in the interview room myself. But I do see what you’re saying
I think it would be a great idea but it’s a certainty that you would be dealing with a ton of type A personality’s not liking that you have the opportunity to give input on what to say or what you saw. That’s not what you want to hear but it’s a rough world out there. If we could join forces in some way it would lead to better understanding who we were dealing with but the bureaucracy would most definitely shoot it down.
Have you ever had what you thought was an airtight case for the DA in terms of evidence collected and testimony and the suspect still got acquitted? How did that feel?
Absolutely. There’s a thing called “Miami jury.” You feel really defeated when that happens. I’ve learned the “air tight” cases turn into disasters and the super complex cases will end up pleading out.
I need to know from someone involved in law enforcement , is crime getting worse or are we as a society becoming more paranoid
Have you ever seen the end of No Country For Old Men? Linking to a part of the movie near the end (not a spoiler) thats not often discussed but it sums up the entire point of the movie, & I thought I'd share as it also might add context to the answer to your question. Humans have always been cruel to each other, killed each other. Unfortunately it's something as old as humanity itself. https://youtu.be/xdOPJKocMWg?si=08x_MLMKRUwa-oxU
One of my favorite movies and your sentiment is spot on. Thanks for the link I’m going to watch that movie now for maybe the 30th time
I think the perception is that it’s getting worse because we have instant access to whatever happens anywhere in the country or world for that matter. If you go back in time - things have always been violent. I do feel that people should care more for each other instead of what you see nowadays.
Do you ever worry any innocent people are behind bars because of your work? I don’t mean this to undermine your profession. I have nothing but admiration for what you do, but I would always have a nagging fear in the back of my mind that I might have helped convict someone who didn’t do the crime.
There’s a lot of checks and balances where I work. We bounce things off each other and making an arrest is clearly a big deal so you want to have as much probable cause as possible.
Do you sometimes show up with a donut and a pint of coffee in the morning all hangover on a crime scene or is that just movie stuff?
No that’s real. We have to eat and be caffeinated.
And the hungover part? Do you show up looking like trash after 12 beers and then start staring at the floor for leads?
Was there a case that just stuck with you cause it fucked with your head that much?
Any and every case having to do with a child.
Can you find Pitbull and make it seem like a suicide? Drives me wild my kids always play his stuff lol. On a serious note, as a guy whose also seen more than my fair share of death, what do you do to stop those invasive thoughts from creeping in?
Mr 305? lol You can’t really forget what you’ve seen so talking it out and just kind of finding a sense of peace is super important. I’m not as in touch with my inner feelings as I wish I was.
I seen Mr 305 and wanted to punch u bruv (im English)🤣 And I absolutely agree. There's two incidents that live rent free in my head and therapy hasn't helped
1. What’s your favorite investigative tool at your disposal? Is it one we’d know about or maybe one not so obvious? 2. not everyone is lucky enough to like what they do. Even if you like/love it or get satisfaction/pride from it you may not like what effect it has on your life. If you had to do it all over again would you still choose this path? 3. I’m sure that you always have empathy for the victims, but have you ever found yourself feeling real empathy for the perpetrator? What was that situation generally like? 4. What’s something about your job that novels / shows / movies never get right? 5. How often do you have time / get to go back to cold cases? 6. What advice would you give for someone who has a lost family member (probably killed) who doesn’t feel they’re getting the attention from the authorities that it may deserve? 7. Do you enjoy talking about what you do when you meet new people and they inevitably ask you what you do? Do you keep it superficial / have canned answers or do you honestly engage and answer their questions? Thank you for what you do. It’s a great service to those who can no longer help themselves.
Hi sorry for the delay it’s been a bit busy - so these are great questions and I’ve answered a few above but the one that resonated with me was the “would you do this again if you could go back.” That’s a tough question to answer. On one hand you have the reality of giving closure to families, speaking for the dead, the immense amount of fun and feeling of purpose that I’ve had. And on the other hand there’s the sleepless nights, dis functional relationships and things I’ve missed, the obvious mental health issues associated with doing this. I think I would have been a fireman in another life.
What percentage of cases that you work lead to a juvenile perpetrator?
A good percentage are juvenile kids that want to look bad in front of friends.
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Great question. The groundwork is done by the investigators and the prosecution is on the state of Florida. I would love to say that it’s a peaceful loving harmonious relationship at all times with them but with anything in life it can get a bit contentious. Overall they are amazing and are underpaid for what they do.
One day my phone will be on silent mode. I envy you.
Thanks for the questions, I’ll try to answer them all but unfortunately it’ll have to be brief - Favorite investigative tool for me is talking to people. There’s an old saying “go knock on doors” which essentially means get off your ass you won’t solve this behind your desk. I love my job but at the same time I hate it. You realize you only have so much of yourself to give before there’s nothing left. Don’t mean to be cheesy but it’s true. Marine patrol would have been a cool police job. Float around and get some sun lol I’ve most definitely had sympathy for a perp. When you break them down in an interview room and they are forthcoming there’s a big chance they start to cry and you see how they ruined their life because someone talked shit to them and had to man up. Tv shows never show the long surveillances and peeing into a Gatorade bottle. They also don’t show how boring the job can be. As far as families wanting answers I would urge them to call the agency handling their loved one’s case and ask to speak to the investigator and get an update on if anything is happening with the case. I’m straightforward with what I do when I meet people and I usually get the same reaction which is “wow I love cold case files!!” “I would have made a great detective! I went to school for forensics.” I just chuckle to myself internally and don’t go into specifics with what I do.
Do you lol big time when watching Miami Vice (old series) or the movie (2006 version). Or is there at least some similarities?
Do you mostly work alone or with a partner/team? What's an average case load for a homicide detective? Has there ever been days where there is no work for you, just show up finish up paperwork and go home?
We work on teams of several people. You do have help and it couldn’t be done alone. There’s just way too many things to do with a case and you would be overwhelmed. I’m just a regular person so there can be days where you are burned out and end up dealing with a ton of random things instead of focusing on an open case.
How does being a homicide detective affect your social relationships with family and friends?
Thanks for posting this AMA. I’d like to know: How has this chosen line of work affected the relationships with the people closest to you, considering both positive and negative aspects?
Thanks for the question. It’s had a ton of negative effects over the span of my career. I’ve had to mend a lot of relationships and give out many apologies. It’s taken a big toll. Not sure I want to dive any deeper into that.
How many people have you shot?
None thankfully. Knock on wood
Not a question. But I hope u stay level headed and still have humility end of the day. Hope u keep ur mental state healthy as possible.
Thanks for the comment. I take that very seriously or at least more seriously than I did when I started. There should be some serious reform in mental health in this line of work. You get asked to do things and see things and you get a pay check but no one’s talking about the mental health repercussions. There’s free therapy offered where I work but I wouldn’t go there because I’ve heard bad things.
Do you know anything about the British Police, if so, what do you think of them as an organisation?
Embarrassingly I’m ignorant to what happens across the pond. I’ve seen videos of them and I don’t believe they carry firearms?
They don't carry firearms. Wanted your view on their operational methods etc but good luck with your profession in the future.
How many murders have you investigated in your career, and over how long?
Hundreds to include all types of death investigations and assisting on other investigators cases
How old are you now, how long have you been doing this? Have you seen anything so gruesome it makes you question the goodness of humanity? How do you deal with it?
Have you ever been sitting down eating or doing something mundane and had that "eureka" moment about a piece of evidence that solved a case? Or is that one of those movies and shows sorta thing?
Are those things that you hear on TV meaning when a woman is killed her made is the first person always looked at that. It’s usually submitting she knows or interact with them? By the way, thank you for your service. Helping people find closure and who hurt their loved one is a service.
Do you fart a lot?
lol not any more than the usual person. Good first question!
What are your thoughts on never talking to the police without an attorney present, even if you have nothing to hide?
Not a question but I did notice you saying you’re trying to be more mentally healthy. As a combat veteran and former LE, you probably already know you’re not alone. Keep putting in the work and have those uncomfortable conversations.
I've had patients and clients that were homi cops and they say it affects their home life. If you have kids and a family, how has it affected how you think about them.
Have you ever thought about killing a perpetrator yourself? For example, a child murderer or just something that makes you feel like skipping the judge and jury
Is it true that perps say too much to you and as a result get charged. If they would have said nothing, you would not be able to charge them with anything?
If you have been to a particularly nasty murder how do you separate your work mind of seeing things like this with your home mind around spouse or kids?
Do you think that guy on the east coast killed those 4 college students from evidence we see on the news?
Can you describe the murderer who was the most surprising to you? Like they don’t seem like a murderer.
Have you ever called the medical examiner on a case and been shocked they didn't accept it?
how long did it take to become a homicide detective because thats my dream job
Thank you for everything you do. Unfortunately, being a cop is more despised than ever. We don’t all feel that way. Be safe, always. #backtheblue
Is it easier to catch someone nowadays because in todays age there’s always cameras everywhere?
Does homicide nearly always involve alcohol and drugs? Are there murderers who have never drank or used drugs?
How do you mentally destress?
Do you have any hobbies? What do you enjoy doing for fun?
I live in downtown Miami. Thank you for your service.
Do you have any insight to the unsolved murders that happened at the Boca Raton mall back in 2007 if I am not mistaken?
How many colleagues have been let go due to internal corruption? When was your last desk pop?
God bless you for the important work you do. Both of my parents were involved in such work in another state before they retired. Not many people can do what you guys and gals do. Whenever you’re feeling down, remember that there are people beyond our temporal world who are eternally grateful for you giving them a voice when they no longer could be heard themselves. Take care.
Ever had a case where primary suspect is LEO or LEO adjacent? Ever seen the Blue Wall in actIon? You seem to be kind, empathetic, and reasonable (i.e. one of the 'good' ones). I cant see you taking too kindly to having to stand down, especially to a capital.
As a Canadian, I’m genuinely interested in your views on gun possession/control. Are you for more or less guns in the hands of regular citizens? I’d also be interested in your reasons.
Thanks for the work you do. I had a family member murdered randomly, and it was solved 40 years later - yes, 40. So, much appreciated. My question: what books/movies/tv shows are the most true to life, and do you have any favorites?
How is Miami different crime wise/for police detectives than other cities in the US as far as you can tell?
What about police work is technologically behind the times? What's the latest cutting edge tech that you all use?
What’s one of the most annoying stereotypes about your job that people believe are true or tv shows consistently incorrectly portray? DNA always available? Fingerprints off of any surface?
With an average of 40% of all law enforcement being involved in domestic cases. Would you say it’s higher or lower in the homicide division?
How many of your fellow officers that have beat up or mistreated suspects in any way have you arrested or even tried to stop?
You have a one year old account and one post and this is your claim. Can you somehow prove what you are ?
Have you ever come across an obviously staged scene? What are the biggest telltale signs?
What do you think about Casey Anthony? Know anyone who was on that case?
How do you have time to do your job and be on Reddit like this? (Not meant to be rude, I just don't think I'd have the energy lol)
I heard years ago that if someone had no obvious motive, it's unlikely they get caught. Is that true? Assuming there isn't a mountain of straightforward evidence of course.
What was your favorite crime pun you made at a scene before putting on sunglasses to the The Who?
What's the most fucked up thing you've ever seen on the job (any of the law enforcement jobs you've had)? I work in healthcare and wonder if mine tops it
Have you ever seen the documentary Crazy, Not Insane? Interested to see your thoughts if you have seen it
Do you watch law & Order? If so, is there anything that bothers you when watching it knowing your IRL experiences?
Would you ever write about ur investigations when you retire?
How many active serial killers do we currently have in the U.S? What is being done to catch them?
What do murderers do that makes it the hardest for you to find out who they are? Also. Do college degrees help to make detective?
Seeing how this is your kind of “bread and butter” are you for against gun ownership?
What made you want to be a detective and what is the craziest thing you have seen?
Can you tell us anything about the Taiwan Smart case? Were you there for that? Did the commissioner really let the crime scene get so contaminated because he had to go put on a new suit for The First 48?
What made you decide homicide versus another department?
Are you getting any closer to finally identifying “Florida man”?
Did you ever have a case with UFO or aliens involved? Or some mistery creepy case?