Page 13 - PPIAC Newsletter Mar-Apr 2022

Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado

INVESTIGATING AN INTERNATIONAL MISSINGS PERSON CASE RESEARCH AND SAFE-
TY

etc. This is not always needed, much Continued from page 12
less an option. However, as we had
4. I also personally set a function
on my smartwatch and phone temporarily taken custody of the
that if a certain button were laptop and cellphone, we had a
pressed repeatedly within a digital forensics expert take an
certain time period multiple image of both devices and start
photos of my surroundings analyzing them while we traveled.
would be taken, a text message He later provided his results to us
would be sent to my wife, and while we were in Nicaragua. We
GPS information would be returned the cellphone and laptop
sent to her as well. Luckily, to the family prior to leaving, so
that was never needed, though that they could monitor both de-
I did accidentally activate it vices for important information on
once in the hotel when my social media etc. while we were
thumb spasmed as I was turn- traveling. Unfortunately, the
ing on my phone screen! That phone had been left in the locker
was a scare for Irene. when Abiodun disappeared, so
location data was not helpful in
5. We arranged with the same determining his condition. It was,
driver who had chauffeured however, helpful in finding places
the family when they were in he’d been prior to his disappear-
Nicaragua to drive us while we ance, which we canvassed.
were there, at the recommen-
dation of the family. This gave Equipment
us more hyper-local It is difficult to predict everything
knowledge, as well as addi- one might need for a case like this,
tional safety. and I overpacked. Looking back,
here are the essentials that I ended
A note on insurance.
up needing while I was there:
We looked into whether we needed
additional insurance for this inves- • Jungle boots
tigation. The agency that provided • Laptop/charger
my insurance at the time explained • Solar charger and phone bat-
that I was fully covered for inter- tery pack
mittent cases like this, and that no • Cellphone/charger
modifications to my insurance was • Large and small backpack
needed, but warned me that if in- • Water pack
ternational missing persons cases • First aid kit (incidentally, an
became a significant part of my older man in the hotel where I
business that I would need some was at cut himself very badly
kind of rider or modification and I had to treat him)
made.
• Boonie hat
Forensics • IDs

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March—April 2022 Issue The Informant