Missing Persons

Missing Persons2023-02-14T11:29:04-08:00

San Francisco Bay Area Missing Persons Investigator

According to the US Department of Justice NamUs data, over 600,000 people are reported missing every year. Unfortunately, in part because of the San Francisco Bay Area’s climate, location and extensive homeless problems and lenient laws on drug use, many wind up here on our streets. Having a loved one disappear can be an incredibly harrowing and trying time for the family members and friends. We are here to help you through the process of locating your loved one, and then finding them the resources available to get the help they need, whether it is medical, psychiatric, drug abuse services or a contact within law enforcement.

Please keep in mind that depending on the case, time is often a critical factor in successful missing persons investigation outcomes. If you have a missing persons case, please contact us for a free initial consultation and case review.

 

Typically, the adult missing person will have some of the following issues:

  • Mental health or emotional issues and needs or has stopped taking medication.
  • They travelled to the San Francisco area and then disappeared.
  • Homeless and are living on the streets but have not contacted family as usual.
  • Drug use/addiction and was in a drug rehab program but stopped going.
  • Stopped communicating with family and friends for unknown reasons.
  • Has been in and out of local hospitals for physical and/or mental health issues.
  • Has taken up with a new set of friends or associates and may be under their influence.
  • Had become a frequent victim of street crimes and disappeared.

 

Some of the most common types of missing persons cases we deal with in San Francisco involve adults, children, teens, and the elderly. Often, a missing persons case will fall into one of the following scenarios.

Runaway Cases

In many runaway cases, the missing person is a juvenile who has left home, often repeatedly, without permission. Sometimes, runaways are trying to escape an abusive/difficult home life or may have been lured away by adults with nefarious intentions. It is important for an investigator to distinguish between these two types of cases, as the latter requires a more urgent and comprehensive search.

 

Parental Abductions

In some cases, a parent or other family member may abduct a child. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including custodial disputes, mental illness, or revenge. Parental abduction cases require a quick and thorough response, as the safety of the child is often at stake. Often times, a local family law attorney may need to be involved to assist with obtaining court orders.

Missing Adults

Missing persons cases involving adults can often be complex and difficult to solve and typically fall into their own subset of categories, like drug addiction and mental health issues. Our typical missing adult case will involve a person who has underlying or unknown mental health issues, and has often attempted to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs. The acute danger occurs not only with the drug use, but the natural associations that develop with other drug users, drug dealers, and associated crimes like assault, rape, theft and extortion.

Elderly Missing Persons

Elderly individuals may go missing for a variety of reasons. In some cases, they may suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and become lost. In other cases, they may be the victim of foul play. Because of their inherent vulnerability, time is often of the essence when searching for elderly missing people. Often, this is a situation where we would try to involve the news media.

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a serious issue and often results in the missing of young people, especially teenage girls. We often utilize or contacts with local law enforcement, federal authorities, human trafficking task forces, and local anti-trafficking social organizations to find human trafficking victims and remove them from their abductors.

Homicide/Suicide/Accidental Death/Overdose

On rare occasions, a missing person case becomes a death investigation. Unfortunately, sometimes the missing person becomes a victim of homicide, an accident, or succumbs to months/years of drug use. Since many people that go missing have major emotional and mental health issues, they are also at a higher risk for suicide. With the widespread availability of narcotics such as heroin and especially fentanyl, overdose deaths are an all to common event.

Cold Cases

A cold case is a missing persons case that has gone unsolved for a substantial period of time. In some cases, the missing person may have been gone for years or even decades. Cold cases are often difficult to solve, but it is often worthwhile to have a fresh set of eyes to review the case and see if there are any possible new leads or avenues to follow up on.

Having a recovery plan in place PRIOR to starting the investigation

If the missing person is an adult and addicted to drugs or alcohol, the goal is often to locate them and get them into treatment. This is often easier said than done. In our experience it is paramount to have a plan of action set up before the investigation starts.

We often will locate the subject of the missing persons investigation, and notify the family, but then there is no action plan in place. Will the missing person go to treatment? Can the family convince them before they run off again to use?

In our experience conducting hundreds of missing persons cases, we have found that talking to a street-savvy professional Interventionist can have immeasurable benefits. The right Interventionist can help the family and friends put together a game plan to get the missing loved one into treatment, and then convince the reluctant family member to get the help they need.

How we can help locate a Missing Person in the San Francisco Bay Area

Prior to hiring a private investigation agency, we recommend filing a police report. Depending on the specific situation and law enforcement agency, you may or may not get immediate assistance. Some agencies are so overworked and understaffed that they cannot allocate resources or assign detectives in all but the most urgent of cases. That said, most large departments will have a missing persons unit, such as with the San Francisco Police Department or San Jose Police Department or Oakland Police Department. A smaller agency may not have a stand-alone missing persons unit, but most will have at least one detective trained in missing persons cases.

The San Francisco Bay Area is home to several major metropolitan locations, each with their own unique city, neighborhoods, and local zones. Finding a missing person in this type of situation can be challenging and requires determination, diligence, attention to detail, and contacts/connections with local law enforcement, the media, and various social services organizations.

Knowing where to initiate the search begins with creating a timeline about what the missing person was most recently doing, who they were with, and in what geographical areas they were in. Was the missing person involved with drugs? If so what kinds, and where did they obtain them? (In San Francisco, this would most likely be in the Tenderloin or SoMa neighborhoods.) Where were they staying? In a park, on the streets, or possibly in a homeless shelter? Had the missing person suffered health or mental health problems that they needed to seek hospital treatment for?

Does the missing person have access to money? Sometimes missing persons will have access to a debit card that family members have will put money on. Can we get access to that banking information to check for debit card point of sales information? Often, solid leads can be developed utilizing banking records.

Just because a missing person may be homeless, does not necessarily mean they are completely off social media. It is not uncommon for homeless people to have a cell phone, laptop, and other electronic devices. Checking into active social media accounts can be fruitful. In fact, people on the street routinely use the free direct messaging or calling apps such as Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp to communicate so they do not have to pay for an actual phone number.

Does the missing person own a cell phone or other electronic device. In some situations, these records can be analyzed, or in dire circumstances, cell phone “pings” can be initiated by law enforcement when the missing person is believed to be at extreme risk.

Please feel free to reach out to us for help

There are many different types of missing persons cases, and each one requires a different approach. Because of the climate and political/social nature of the San Francisco Bay Area, a lot of missing persons wind up in the local cities. DeWitt Detective Agency is uniquely positioned and qualified to help you locate your loved one. We have been specializing in missing persons cases for over 20 years. Over that period, we have developed and maintained the professional contacts in law enforcement, social services, mental health/drug rehab clinics, hospitals, the news media, and other related fields to literally make the difference between a case being solved or not.

References from prior clients are always available. Feel free to contact us for a free initial consultation.

It’s a big world

We narrow it down

When you are attempting to locate a missing person, time is a very limited, but valuable resource.

  • Proven track record and success rate

  • We work in coordination with law enforcement and other professionals.

  • Proven track record of successful case resolutions even with the most challenging cases

  • References available upon request

why Hire Us?

experience, Determination, connections, and resources

The first step for a missing persons case is always to file a police report with the proper law enforcement agency. 

Hiring an experienced missing persons investigator will likely accelerate the pace of the investigation, as we can give your case exclusive attention.  Time is often critical in missing persons cases, so we encourage you to reach out to us as soon as possible.

Why Choose Us

The Right team with a track record of success

Custom Tailored Investigations

We believe no two investigations are ever truly alike, which is why we tailor each project to suit your specific needs.

Investigations with a personal touch

We work closely with you to ensure your case receives the attention to detail it deserves, and is focused on your goals.

Proven track record of success

Throughout our 30 years of service, we have developed a track record of success for our clients.

References Always Available

We know that hiring a Private Investigator can be daunting. We have past clients who are willing to share their experiences.

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