Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
A Colorado Limited Liability Company and Licensed Private Investigators
www.DeathCaseReview.com ~ (970) 480-7793
Quaero Indicium -'To Find the Evidence'
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Dear (Contact First Name),
When you have questions about Death and Injury Causation - We have Answers.
First, we want to extend our appreciation for the passion you, our clients and colleagues, provide individuals and families in their most traumatic time of need. As experienced legal and death investigators, we share that passion.
We are each licensed and insured in Colorado - neither are required, but are voluntary programs we have chosen to elevate our professionalism (www.ColoradoLicensedInvestigators.com).
Our agency is a unique and specialized consultation and investigation agency. We have more than 25 years of experience variously working with attorneys, investigators, families and law enforcement. From our own experiences as private investigators and also several years of training and experience with two medical examiner offices, including as scene investigators and forensic autopsy assistants. Attorneys and investigators are often the first, and sometimes only, outreach a person or family may have when they or a loved one faces serious criminal charges, a traumatic injury or the death of a loved one is unanswered - or leaves them feeling that questions remain unanswered. Your needs as their advocate may be as simple as asking for an independent opinion from review of the official investigation to ease their minds, or require a complete investigation when they feel the official investigation was insufficient or not conducted.
We believe that legal and death investigations and consultations are a team effort. In that regard, our agency is affiliated nationally and internationally with investigators and experts. Specific to death and injury causation, from our education, training and experience as medicolegal death investigators, we have developed this forensic team as the unique equivalent of a private medical examiner consulting agency. Learn more from our video -
"We speak for the deceased. To them we owe the truth." at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgsvtbSk8fg
We provide general legal investigations - from scene documentation to witness interviews, and from individual locates to backgrounds and assets & liabilities. Our agency is available to assist nationally for expert consultations and to assist investigators as part of your legal team to provide full legal investigative services in civil, criminal and probate concerns.
Investigators visit www.DeathCaseReview.com/Investigators.html Attorneys visit www.DeathCaseReview.com/Attorneys.html
One tragic example of the trauma of death, and re-retraumatized with no investigation and unfounded conclusions in error, and the process of closure, is found in the story of an Ohio teenager whose life came to a tragic end - officially ruled by his own actions, a suicide. This story is below (In the News) and is worth the time to read.
NEWS YOU CAN USE: -- Cell phone records and forensic analysis of records -- Use DropBox to backup your phone photos and videos -- Confusion about Constitutional Rights can lead to self-incrimination -- Forensic Photography and Forensic Light Sources (or Alternate Light Sources) -- 'Smoking alcohol' a dangerous, growing trend -- From Forensic Magazine - Investigating Beyond the Fender Bender -- The difference between coroner's offices and medical examiners - a death in Ohio
-- PPIAC hosts AFI-LLC Death Investigation Training
AFI-LLC - Our agency is called upon for many reasons - from investigations to consultations, and from finding the right investigator to the right expert. We have recently added to our case examples found at http://www.DeathCaseReview.com/sample-cases.html.
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Bits and Pieces from AFI-LLC
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OBTAINING RECORDS FOR CELL PHONES AND INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
We are often asked how an attorney or investigator can legally obtain cell phone and ISP records. Depending on the information needed, and purpose, a subpoena or court order is required. Here is a link that is updated daily with cell phones and some ISPs: http://www.search.org/programs/hightech/isp/
Although the dropdown says 'ISP' - it is for cell, ISP and others.
YOU HAVE THE RECORDS - NOW WHAT?
This is the next related question we are often asked. Forensic analysis of these communication records is a rare specialty. In part, because the training and experience is often limited to government agencies (like death investigation). We know one of the best and he recently sent this informative commentary to demonstrate the value of proper analysis - and potential damage of errors in analysis.
Jon Hebert - Jon H. Hebert LLC
As you know I always advise my clients to challenge all records provided by the telephone companies when you first get them. It is imperative to lock down the definitions of the headers for each record as well as the way the records were obtained.
This week I received a large project from one of my regular clients that involved the conversion of over 25,000 telephone call records. The target of this project was a business entity. The call detail records were for a half dozen incoming "800" lines for the business. The records provided by the telephone company contained no legend sheet to explain the format of the records. The analyst who requested my assistance in this case made some assumptions that ultimately proved to be wrong and potentially fatal to their case. Because this is the second time in the past 2 months that I have encountered this issue I wanted to take a moment to share it with you in case you encounter it in the future.
A quick explanation about "800" numbers would be helpful. Because the owner of the "800" number pays the bill, "*67" (Blocking caller ID) cannot be used. Meaning if you call an "800" number your telephone number will be provided to the people you are calling. Many of the telephone companies who provide incoming "800" numbers list the full detail to include Date, Time, Duration as well as the City and State where the call was placed.
Normally telephone records are provided to subscribers with the date and time being displayed in the same time zone as the location of the service that was provided. As a result when investigators and analysts obtain "800" records they tend to assume the time zone is the same as the subscriber of the "800" number. Many times this is wrong. In the case at point I informed my client that it was my experience that the date and time of the calls, although not specified in the records, would actually reflect the time zone of the caller who placed the call to the "800" number. Further investigation with Sprint confirmed my opinion. As a result in order to establish when the calls were received in this case, I had to identify the location of each call. Look up the time zone for that location, then adjust the date and time to the time zone of this target.
I could completely thrill you with another discussion on time zones. Just imagine in the USA we have at least ten states that contain two different time zones in each as well as two additional states that do not observe Daylight Savings Time. Although Arizona is one State that does not observe Daylight Savings Time, the Navajo Nation contained within does.
I hope this may help you in the future.
(Jon can be reached by conacting our agency)
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Our Expert Forensic Affiliations
|  We believe that medicolegal investigation and consultation is a team effort. Stephen Cina MD, Harold Schueler PhD, and our agency are affiliated as experts in our respective fields offering our clients comprehensive medicolegal services.
Dr. Cina is the Chief Medical Examiner of a large metropolitan area in the upper mid-west, and Dr. Schueler is currently is the Laboratory Director in a private laboratory in California, and has been a Chief Toxicologist for over 22 years at government laboratories in Cincinnati, Ohio and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Through Forensic Toxicology Consulting Services, he provides private consultations nationally.
Contact our office to consult on medicolegal death and injury causation. The CVs of both Dr. Cina and Dr. Schueler are available by contacting us.
Dr. Cina is also the co-author of the non-fiction historical look at "When Doctors Kill" available at http://whendoctorskill.PrivateInvestigations.org and his consultation website is at www.AutopsyReview.net.
We are proud to continue our working relationship with Dr. Cina, since 2002.
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Agency News and Updates
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AFI-LLC BLOG
We have added a new post to our agency blog:
Use DropBox to backup your phone photos and videos.
Technology continues to advance how we act - and preserve - our everyday lives and businesses. One computer program or computer application can change how we manage and complete tasks. Multiple programs and applications complementing each other defines true multi-tasking.
One such seamless and beneficial tool is from DropBox. Many are familiar with DropBox - the storing of data - large files such as photos and videos - on a cloud, or offsite server - for free (there is a fee for larger storage allowances). That's the old DropBox. The new DropBox does much more!
Continued at
http://www.forensic-investigators.com/1/post/2013/05/use-dropbox-to-backup-photos.html
(for a FREE DropBox account visit http://dropbox.privateinvestigations.org)
Look for future tips - and be sure to share your own with us - Associates@DeathCaseReview.com. If we publish your tip, it will be to your credit and with your contact information.
FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY AND FORENSIC LIGHT SOURCES (FLS)
Dean recently attended a two-day FLS and Alternate Light Source (ALS) training seminar, hosted by the International Association for Identification and Colorado Forensic Investigators Group. The training was provided by SPEX Forensics, a major supplier of forensic and crime scene supplies and equipment.
During his tenure at a medical examiner's office, Dean was instrumental in developing a training and protocol for the use of ALS and digital photography, as well as receiving grants for equipment. These were used extensively at autopsy to document injuries and causation.
AFI-LLC is available to review the evidence in your civil and criminal cases, including FLS and ALS images. Most commonly to determine if proper procedures were followed and to analyze the digital images to determine if the provided conclusions are consistent with evidence presented.
BASIC DEATH INVESTIGATION FOR INVESTIGATORS
Our agency will be conducting a basic death investigation and injury causation seminar to benefit the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC). This is scheduled for August 09, 2013 in Greenwood Village, CO. Contact our agency or PPIAC (www.PPIAC.org) for details. You may also email VP of Training, Tan Smyth, at training@ppiac.org for registration and details. Space is limited - it is not too early to register.
BEERS WITH OUR FOUNDING FATHERS
Dean's book at www.BeersWithOurFoundingFathers.com is now available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon. Details at http://www.beerswithourfoundingfathers.com/order.html
LETTERS FROM YESTERYEAR
Karen's book has been published at Smashwords and is now available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon. The book is a collection of actual letters she transcribed from the late 1800's.One of the best ways to learn about history is from people who actually lived and documented what they experienced. Letters From Yesteryear is a collection of letters written between the years 1879 and 1900. Letters From Yesteryear, a book by Karen Beers - www.LettersFromYesteryear.com
Dean and Karen are Colorado licensed private investigators and full-time RV Investigators (Team Beers) with offices in Colorado and South Dakota, covering the Rocky Mountain states and nationally.
Dean is a subject matter expert in the areas of death investigation and personal injury causation. He is the only Board Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) in northern Colorado, a faculty consultant and Certified Criminal Defense Investigator (CCDI) and is also certified in Medicolegal Death Investigations, having trained and worked as a Deputy Coroner at two medical examiner's offices. He continues to speak extensively on investigative techniques and principles and has authored multiple peer-reviewed white papers, and self-published "Professional Investigations: Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities"and recently published "Practical Methods for Legal Investigations" (CRC Press) He currently consults nationwide as an expert in criminal defense homicide and civil equivocal death investigations.
Karen has been a Legal Investigator and research specialist, since 1996. She has a Bachelor's in Social Work from Colorado State University (Magna Cum Laude) and in 2011 earned the designation Certified Criminal Defense Investigator (CCDI) and is also certified in Medicolegal Death Investigations. Together they operate Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC. In addition to her skilled interactions with troubled youths, she also trained and worked as a Deputy Coroner at a medical examiner's office. This background provides essential skills and knowledge in their Personal Injury, Negligence and Death investigations and consultations in Colorado and nationally. In addition, she has written for prominent professional investigation journals and was instrumental in the revisions and contributions to both agency books, as well as the co-development of "Death Investigations for Private Investigators" for PIEducation.com
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Associations and News of Our Profession
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Professional Private investigations Association of Colorado (www.PPIAC.org)
Monthly meetings are the first Wednesday of each month, usually in the Denver metro area. Visit the PPIAC website for details.
Death Investigation Seminar in Colorado - open to all investigators
Our agency will be giving a death investigation and injury causation seminar to benefit PPIAC. This will be August 9th and is open to all investigators. This may be the only time we provide this along the front range of Colorado. Contact our agency or PPIAC (training@ppiac.org) for details and registration.
Also, the PPIAC Quarterly (Spring 2013) newsletter is available at
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/PPIAC-Quarterly--Spring-2013-Edition.html?soid=1112677050866&aid=p1nAlHyn04U
National Association of Legal Investigators (www.NALI.com) NALI is the premier association for legal investigators - civil plaintiff and criminal defense, and has overseen the prestigious Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) program. Experience is required to join and all members are subject to a background check. The newest issue of NALI's official journal - The Legal Investigator - is now available online at
http://www.bluetoad.com/publication?i=159376
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (www.NCISS.org)
NCISS is the voice of investigators and security personnel at the federal level. The primary mission of NCISS is to watch federal legislation and work with members to take appropriate action to support beneficial, or oppose harmful, legislation in the course of performing their professional services. Members of NCISS receive a copy of the twice-yearly published 'The Report' has just been posted online at http://www.nciss.org/documents/The_Report_Spring_2013.Web.pdf. The bi-monthly eReport newsletter is also available online. The Summer issue will have a pull-out directory of all NCISS members.
NCISS wants to share this great savings with you - super discounts at Office Depot for supplies at http://nciss.ctcshares.com (the discounts could be enough to pay our annual dues).
NCISS also sends out important legislative alerts. If you are interested in these alerts, consider joining NCISS. These alerts are immediately posted on our agency website at
At the very least, drop us an email and we will make sure you get the alerts as they happen.
World Association of Detectives (www.WAD.net)
The value of networking extends beyond your local clients, and should include statewide, nationally and internationally. This should include your state association, NALI, NCISS and of course WAD for international camaraderie. You can contact us for membership information for any of these associations. As the WAD Governor of the Americas (USA, Canada, Central America, Caribbean and Argentina), Dean is interested in answering your WAD membership questions. You can also contact any of the WAD Ambassadors.
The WAD magazine, Beyond Global, is available online at http://www.wad.net/page/newsletter.aspx.
Other Association News
California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI - www.CALI-PI.org) is having their annual conference June 6th-8th. Dean will be a keynote speaker, immediately following Dr. Henry Lee. Did you know that Dean and Dr. Lee are two of a handful of forensic professionals to investigate a death involving a woodchipper? If your association has news, please send it to us for inclusion.
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In the News
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News happens so fast, please visit our agency blog for daily and weekly posts on news of interest - www.MedicolegalPI.com or our business Facebook page at www.facebook.com/4N6Associates
NCISS Legislative Alert: EEOC Chair Grilled on Employer Guidance
The House Subcommittee on Workplace Protections questioning the regulation of pre-employment criminal history checks. In addition, new legislation has been introduced to restrict the sale of social security numbers. Presently NCISS is watching this activity, and will keep our members and profession advised of any progress and concerns. Continued at http://www.deathcasereview.com/3/post/2013/05/nciss-legislative-alert-eeoc-chair-grilled-on-employer-guidance.html ATTENTION! 'Smoking alcohol' a dangerous, growing trend A new trend among high school and college students - even junior high. 'Smoking alcohol' sends into your blood system immediately, there's a far greater risk of getting alcohol poisoning versus the stomach. Continued at www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/05/30/ottawa-smoking-alcohol-health-danger.html A Death in Ohio - the difference between the coroner and medical examiner systems A 'coroner' system is an elected position - and any person essentially eligible to vote is qualified to be the elected coroner. A 'medical examiner' system is often an appointed position that is directed by a forensic pathologist and deputy medical examiners. There are states that have both, and some jurisdictions have a combination. The offices we trained, interned and worked at were coroner offices that were accredited medical examiner offices by the National Association of Medical Examiners (Dean is an affiliate member of The NAME) under forensic pathologists elected as coroners. Voltaire - "To the living we owe respect, to the dead we owe the truth." Death is traumatic for families - and when the death investigation is non-existent, as in this story, or insufficient - it is not only more traumatizing, but re-traumatizing. Our agency is committed to being expert consultants and fact finders - for families and those representing families, such as attorneys and investigators. We provide one of the fewest teams of private medicolegal death investigation, as found in a medical examiner system, in the country. We are affiliated with a forensic pathologist and forensic toxicologist, and other experts in death and injury causation. A 19-year old young man took a handgun to a gathering with friends. At the end of this night he was dead by a gunshot wound to the head. His friends said the gun was in his hand, and when responding police provided this to the coroner, he determined it was suicide - no autopsy and no independent investigation by the coroner's office. This story is unfortunate for many reasons - but read it to find out why it is so important, to the decedent and family, to have the truth. Several years ago there was a similar incident in Fort Collins, and another in Greeley. This type of incident is not unheard of in the circle of death investigators, and neither is the outcome. This story is sad and traumatic, please click on the link below. It is important that these incidents be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20130531/NEWS01/305310033 Law Enforcement Technology Magazine - Miranda Confusing? Investigators and attorneys should subscribe to the free law enforcement magazine - in your mail or online. The current issue talks about the Miranda rights - from the law enforcement perspective. "Confusion about Constitutional Rights can lead to self-incrimination" at http://let.epubxp.com/t/28134 From Forensic Magazine - Investigating Beyond the Fender Bender (although written for law enforcement - it is valuable for PIs that work related civil and criminal cases, and also provides what to expect from law enforcement in these investigations). Most of the time traffic accidents are fairly standard-the typical fender bender where one person runs into another. The officer on duty responds, assesses the situation, and completes the proper paperwork. But sometimes officers deal with much more serious, complex situations. Continued at http://www.forensicmag.com/article/investigating-beyond-fender-bender Investigation Books - fiction and non-fiction - for every PI AFI-LLC has compiled some of the leading books for private investigators, by private investigators, including those for specialized certifications. Many of the authors are also friends of AFI-LLC. Included are fiction and non-fiction novels. You can find these books and order direct from Amazon at http://amazon.privateinvestigations.org Do you have a book to be reviewed or special announcement? Let us know! If you want to send a complimentary copy, we will gladly review it for you and also provide a customized press release and distribution.
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| The Quint-Essential Qualities of a Professional Investigator... | Skills Appropriate for the Assignment
Law firms and medical offices specialize - Professional Investigators also specialize. Their casework and continuing education should also be in your specialized areas.
Experience and Knowledge
Professional Investigators strive to maintain and further these. All professions have requirements of continuing education. The CLI program requires extensive compliance with continuing education.
Responsible and Ethical Conduct
Every component of the investigation has evidentiary considerations. Professional Investigators hold themselves to a higher standard and leaves no question as to the admissibility of their evidence. Information without ethics is not evidence.
Effective Communication
Professional Investigators maintain communication with the attorney, client, witnesses, and other key persons in the investigation. Moreover, reports are the product of an organized investigation and should reflect the work product you expect.
Keyword - 'Professional'
Honesty, Integrity & Intelligence. These define Professional Investigators and gives you the confidence that your case is in competent and skilled hands.
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In Closing...
| AFI-LLC specializes in legal investigations and expert consultations of death or serious bodily injury and injury causation in civil, criminal and probate matters for professional investigators, attorneys, insurance companies and families.
We also provide complete legal investigative services, as well as individual locates, backgrounds and assets & liabilities records checks and backgrounds.
Voltaire - "To the living we owe respect, to the dead we owe the truth." Death is traumatic for families - and when the death investigation is non-existent, as in this story, or insufficient - it is not only more traumatizing, but re-traumatizing. Our agency is committed to being expert consultants and fact finders. We provide one of the fewest teams of private medicolegal death investigation, as found in a medical examiner system, in the country. Please visit us at www.facebook.com/4N6Associates and on Twitter @4N6Associates.
We also have a blog of articles and news at www.MedicolegalPI.com.
Dean is on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/forensicinvestigators
Karen is on Linkedin at www.linkedin.com/pub/karen-beers/36/a8/807
Don't forget to share our newsletters and if your receiving this from a friend, subscribe directly! < here >
www.4N6Associates.com - Personal Injury, Negligence & Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
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Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
 | | Dean and Karen Beers |
Specializes in the Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injuries, Negligence and Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
We provide investigations and consultations of any death or injury causation case from any location with the conveniences of modern technology and assistance of our local professional friends and colleagues.
Call us today, we're glad to help!
We are the PRIDE of Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC - Professional Reliable Investigators Defining Excellence in every assignment.
Thank You. Please contact us with any questions or for additional information on these topics and our related services.
Sincerely,
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI (beersda@DeathCaseReview.com)
Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI (beersks@DeathCaseReview.com)
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
Office: (970) 480-7793 (Dean x1 and Karen x2) ~ Fax: (970) 480-7794 |
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Newsletter and Press Release Archives from July 2010
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Download our Agency Information and Case Request Packetclick here
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 | | Flat Fee Equivocal Death Analysis |
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Featured Articles
Dean and Karen have several articles published, some are available for reprint.
For details email:
Associates@Forensic-Investigators.com
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Find Us at:
 | | Find us and 'Like' us! |
Dean is at:
Karen is at:
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Professional Associations
Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC)
National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI)
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (NCISS)
World Association of Detectives (WAD) Criminal Defense Investigation Council (CDITC) National Defender Investigator Association (NDIA) Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI) Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI) California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI) National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) International Association for Identification (IAI) and (RMDIAI) |
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