Web Sleuthing Tips?

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LifeoftheSearchParty

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Now that I retired (relatively young) from the corporate world, I have more time to do what I would really love: websleuthing

I can't see myself going through a police academy or getting a degree in Criminal Justice. I would like to be a private investigator but you need a license, and experience but to get that experience you need a license.... :rolleyes:

So websleuthing would be perfect: set my own hours, pick my cases, etc. I don't care about getting paid. If anyone wants me to help them or give me some suggestions on how to get started, I would really appreciate it.

I am mostly interested in cold cases for missing persons and homicide in my state (CT). I love doing research in this area. I definitely picked the wrong profession many years ago. :D
 
LifeoftheSearchParty said:
Now that I retired (relatively young) from the corporate world, I have more time to do what I would really love: websleuthing

I can't see myself going through a police academy or getting a degree in Criminal Justice. I would like to be a private investigator but you need a license, and experience but to get that experience you need a license.... :rolleyes:

So websleuthing would be perfect: set my own hours, pick my cases, etc. I don't care about getting paid. If anyone wants me to help them or give me some suggestions on how to get started, I would really appreciate it.

I am mostly interested in cold cases for missing persons and homicide in my state (CT). I love doing research in this area. I definitely picked the wrong profession many years ago. :D
Click to expand...

(Busy in another thread right now but marking spot to reply. Welcome!)
 
Welcome to Websleuths.
I don't know if any of this will help but it can give you some ideas.

Clicking on this site could get you started.
CT Missing Links

I just did a Google search for you for Connecticut missing persons. The results were too numerous to list. You could click on any one of them to get more info.

I then did a similar search adding Websleuths at the end and it gave me links to eight cases just on the first page.

Or simply, just pick a case and start reading the thread to bring you up to speed and then dive in.

You may find that you will gravitate to a certain kind of case, whether it be young children, elderly persons, male, female, unidentified remains found, etc. You may change your mind at any time.

Enjoy your retirement and just have fun in this new endeavor you are undertaking.
 
This is just one of the links I use to find information such as family members, last addresses, even phone numbers. Sometimes it helps me find a FB of someone with a common name by locating the FB of a family member with a less common name. And it can also help me verify that I have the right FB of a MP.
100% Free Genealogy - FamilyTreeNow.com

I also like hauziz. You can search addresses here. It's helpful finding out who owns a particular home. Sometimes when you only have a name and a block number to work with, you can pinpoint the actual address here.
Hauziz

As always, please be aware of the Websleuths' TOS when posting information you discover.

ETA: I'm always looking for tips that anyone is willing to share. :D
 
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First, do your research to locate local newspapers. With the shift from print to internet, that means an online search. You may locate some new online newspapers not affiliated with the print versions. You may also locate news archives.

You may want to check Newspapers(dot)com to see if they archive any of your local papers.

To news sites you can add your local LE websites, such as the DA, Sheriff, or other police sites.

The internet is going to be a prime tool. Give some thought to your search terms. For instance, "John Archimedes Smith" is best looked for originally as "Archimedes", not "John" or "Smith". You'll reap a much shorter search list, and you can use any info to limit returns for further searches for "John Smith".

Above all, don't rule out intuition in your search efforts. Intuition is often your subconscious making connections between facts that your rational mind did not notice.
 
Know how to research other possible cases which might or might not be related by researching online via date and location to find others missing, found, attempted abducted, etc. Utilize state gov't mp webpages.
 
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Know how to utilize and follow local LE social media pages such as their twitters and fb.

I realize many of these tips are more beneficial in current cases. IMO cold cases are much more challenging as their are less electronic footprints and articles available. Your local library, microfiche, etc can be helpful.
 
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Utilize weather websites (past conditions for dates in question as well as future re: potential decomp factors, searches, etc.)

Some basic tips off the top off my mind. There are more I'm sure I'll think of.

Happy sleuthing!
 
Since here on WS one spends much time sifting through information gleaned from media and then posting said info, taking the time to know how to quote from sources is time well-spent. It's not difficult, and, as with anything else worth doing, it's worth doing correctly, and well.
 
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