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Any general Diligentia news

There are very few people on this planet that I can give more credit to in my investigative career than Mary Shannon Little

She has been an enormous cheerleader, confidant and supporter for the last 13 years of my life. Mary gave me so many things, but the thing that she gave me the most was self-assurance. As a young business owner, she would ask me to join her investigative team on some fantastic, front-page news stories, including one we have both cited as the best case of our careers.  

Even when she was out of the investigative game, Mary would refer me to some of the biggest clients I could ever imagine. Mary knew every important investigator in the world. While I couldn’t help but be flattered, I would question her sanity about referring me. She’d confidently tell me I was the most brilliant investigator she had ever worked with. She probably said the same thing to dozens of others, but it didn’t matter; I believed her. 

Mary’s tell-it-like-it-is attitude could certainly rub people the wrong way, but I loved her for it. As long as you could sit through one of her crazy conspiracy theories, she’d love you back, too. 

Unconditionally. 

I could never repay her for what she has done for me. 

You will be sorely missed, Mary.

I invite you to contribute to NYU Langone Health/Perlmutter Cancer Center in memory of Mary Shannon Little.

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Over the past several years, we have been collecting feedback from clients about how we are doing. Feedback is essential to running any business, but especially a small business where literally every move counts. One slip-up—or a series of slip-ups—can ruin a business, especially at a time like this.

We’ve been lucky enough to have some awesome clients over the years, and have gotten some great feedback from our Net Promoter Score survey, which asks two very pointed questions:

The whole premise of the Net Promoter Score is to use the results as a proxy for gauging a client’s overall satisfaction.

Over the years, we have received tons of really great feedback. The vast majority is positive, with the occasional not-so-perfect but still constructive feedback. While it’s always interesting to see what scores people give, I find the answers to the first question to be much more interesting.

Of all of the answers that we have received over the years (all of which are totally anonymous, so we don’t even know who said them), our favorite answer has been: 

Creative, thoughtful, and responsive

Seriously, to whomever wrote this, this literally pulled at my heartstrings. All of these words were (and remain) literally at the core of every belief in my body when I started this firm.

Here’s why.

Creative

“People don’t come to us for off-the-shelf ideas,” is literally one of our mottos. 

Of course, nobody wants to be known as the guy or gal who is the “in the box” thinker who just does what people tell him or her to do. That might get you some work, but it won’t get you far in the business world.

In our world, there is work that you get that pays the bills and there is work that keeps you up at night, thinking about how you can tackle it. As nice as it is to pay the bills and to have a steady flow of regular work that you can do with your eyes closed, I prefer the latter.

Because if I can do the work with my eyes closed, so can anyone else.

Finding a resourceful approach that may require some innovation, imagination, or creativity is what makes this business fascinating and keeps people calling when they really need me.

Thoughtful

“Thoughtful” brings up a range of emotions for me. When I hear the word, I think of our being considerate in our approach and having concern for the clients.

But what I think of most is that we provide thoughtful answers to difficult problems that may affect them, even though they may not benefit us.

I had a lengthy discussion with a client last week in which I spent 20 minutes trying to convince him not to have us do something that he had asked us to do. I didn’t believe what he was asking us to do was beneficial to what he ultimately needed, despite the fact that this would have earned us thousands of dollars in fees.

In the short term, it certainly hurts our financial gains, but the thoughtful answer may end up making us more money in the long run.

Responsive

A few months ago, I was looking for a private investigator in two parts of the country to help out on a high-profile case. Because of COVID-19, I was unable to travel to these locations but needed some on-the-ground investigators to help out. I called more than 10 investigators, and I might have gotten calls back from half of them. No matter which way you slice it, that’s not a great result. I just can’t imagine, for the life of me, why you wouldn’t call anyone back, let alone a fellow investigator.

Calling back is just the bare minimum, though.

That same night, I got an email from a client at 8 o’clock in the evening, asking whether we could talk the next day. I got on the phone and called the client right back. I don’t always do that, but when I can, I make it a point to be as responsive as possible, even if it’s just to say, “I need more time to get back to you.”

By being responsive, the client knows that you are there, and ready and willing to do whatever it takes.

Returning calls, emails, and texts in a timely manner establishes trust.

It shows that the client is important.

And it gives the client the impression that you are organized, and ready and willing to do whatever it takes.

I make it a point to be as responsive as possible. It just shows that you care.

The best part about being creative, thoughtful and responsive? 

Anyone can do it.

It requires absolutely no money, no secret source, no special sauce, no guarantees, and no bleeding-edge technology.

Just a little imagination, empathy and hustle.

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I recently sat down for an interview with Adam Visnic of Gravitas Investigations as part of his “P.I. Hero” interview series on YouTube

I certainly don’t consider myself a hero by any stretch of the imagination, but was flattered to be invited.

I talked about my path into the private investigation business, the two main things that have helped accelerate business growth, and the biggest challenge that is always on my mind (hint: it’s not what you might think!). 

Anyway, if you are interested in these sorts of things, you can check out the video below. 

If you have no interest in those sorts of things, here are couple of interesting tidbits that you may have never known about me:

  • My high school aptitude test suggested I should be an air traffic controller, not a private investigator.
  • I was part of the photography team for the 2000 MLB World Series (the Subway Series for you nerdy baseball fans).
  • The aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is what really got me passionate about the private investigation industry. 
  • I may or may not have superpowers.

During the interview, Adam asked me about a big challenge that I have been able to overcome in my private investigation career. 

My answer (which you can view here) was not particularly eloquent or very well thought out. Which got me thinking and ultimately to a lengthy article that was published on Pursuit Magazine which you can check out below.

My Biggest Struggles with Running a PI Business—and How I Overcame Them

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We’re still the same Diligentia Group. Just with a new look.

Last month we revealed a new logo, some new colors, typeface for our reports and imagery. We also introduced a couple of new alternate logos.  

I am really excited about the new look. 

[And the new swag that we are going to be rolling out soon.]

Of the alternate logos, I am most excited about our top-hat wearing Shamus; I am looking forward to slapping him on a trucker hat and t-shirt.  But based on some feedback from our LinkedIn followers, seems like the Trust But Verify logo has been resonating with people.

How we got here

It’s been 12 years since Diligentia Group was started in the basement of my house, with $10,000 and a lot of optimism. It’s been an incredible ride that has brought me to places that I never thought I would go and allowed me to be involved in work that I would only read about in the newspaper. 

For our first logo, I paid $349 to some online company to develop, that allowed up to four revisions.  Every company needed a logo, and this was no different. 

It served us well, but it was time for something new.  

As our clients evolved, our business has evolved right along with them. We built our new brand identity to scale and change in step.

Staying true to ourselves

With the redesign, we set up to keep the all the values that I held in the basement of my old house. 

We champion creativity, professionalism, originality, openness, ethics and simply doing great work.

And a side of humbleness, humor, humility and modesty.

We hope that our new design shows that.

I hope you enjoy.

[A special shout out to Spoon Lancer who created the design!]

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In February 2010, I hit “publish” on my first blog post about how one could have avoided hedge fund fraud based on an episode of American Greed on CNBC.

It was a scary moment.

Not because it was controversial or I had feared some retribution, but because I was putting myself out there for the first time and I was worried what other people would think.

Was I wrong about my conclusions?

Did I misstate a fact?

Would people find it interesting?

Would anyone other than my mom read it? (Shoutout to Mom, who is undoubtedly reading this. ????)

I think about 14 people might have read it. I was refreshing Google Analytics every 10 minutes to see if anyone else had looked at it.

That didn’t stop me from getting the opinion of four other investigators before I wrote my second, third, fourth and fifth blog posts.

And 10th, 11th and 12th posts too.

Sharing can be uncomfortable. Not everyone will agree with you. Some may actually dislike what you share or dislike the fact that you are sharing anything. And others will simply dismiss it.

But for me, sharing has been the most powerful thing I have done professionally.

Why?

Execution Is Everything; Secrets Are Nothing

Some of the earliest negative comments came from fellow investigators who would contact me about how I was giving away too much information. You know, the “secrets” that all the investigators before me had held so close to the vest for so long were now being exposed to the public. Like when I wrote about free public records links or myths about what a private investigator can get. The argument made to me was that keeping the mystique is a good thing for our profession.

My feeling at the time, and one that still remains, is that most secrets are not really secrets at all, and that the mystique is actually hurting our business more than helping. I can have dozens of secret sources, but when it comes down to it, it’s how I utilize those “secrets” that matters.

Clarity

Writing helps you clarify your thoughts. Just last week, I was writing a story about a local businessman whom I had helped track down someone. From the time that I started writing to the time the piece was finished, I was in a completely different place. It was only when I wrote the story that I was able to have clarity in my thoughts, discover the gaps in my thinking and devise a message worth reading.

The same sort of clarity of thought has come from writing about topics such as a code of ethics, pretexting, crossing state lines or the idea that being a former law enforcement officer somehow immediately makes you a better private investigator.

Generosity = Opportunities

Over the past 10+ years, I’ve had more than 2 million visitors read my posts. While most of those 2 million visitors I have never heard from or met, I have received countless notes from people thanking me for sharing information.

From a business perspective, Diligentia Group received more than 150 new clients from blog posts we have written. We’ve received client referrals from people we have never met based on blog posts.

And I have personally been invited to countless speaking opportunities and podcasts, and met people I probably never would have had the chance to meet otherwise. I even got a chance to visit the American Greed studio at CNBC, which, coincidentally, was the reason I wrote my first blog.

Digital Memory Bank

I end up referring to my own blog more than I like to admit. Like how to verify military service or in what states it is legal to record a conversation. These aren’t things I think about all that often, so when I do, I refer to my own posts.

Or one-off cases, in which I spent time chasing down some records that were new to me. Like the time I spent tracking down travel records or airplane ownership information. So anytime those come up, I have a handy reference.

It is also a great way to capture the journey, the moments that you forget, as well as reflect on where it all started and what Diligentia Group has become.

The Power of Sharing…

Sharing can be exhilarating, uncomfortable, emotional, awkward and delicate, all at the same time.

But it’s the most important thing I have ever done.

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I don’t think you’d get much of an argument from anyone that 2020 was a giant pile of diarrhea. And if the first seven days are any indication of what is to come in 2021, we might be literally up shit’s creek without a paddle.

The private investigation business was not totally up shit’s creek in 2020. According to an informal poll I did on LinkedIn last week, the opinion of others in the investigation business was a bit mixed:

Each year, I typically like to reflect on the previous year and to come up with some kind of a “plan” to do better. I use the word plan loosely, as over the years I have tried a bunch of different ideas. It’s not a New Year’s resolution, because New Year’s resolutions are stupid. I just try to self-audit and figure out what I need to do to make the next year better.

I’ve already signed up to learn a few new skills, I’ve got some cool ideas percolating in my head, and we are doing a rebranding thing that I am excited about.

This year, however, my goal is to communicate better. Because the world needs to communicate better.

Let me illustrate with a little story.

A fun little fishing expedition…

A few weeks ago, a local successful businessman whom I have known for several years texted me. He asked me if I had any resources to track down the owner of an old auto repair company that had gone out of business 50+ years ago in a small Fairfield County, Connecticut town. All he had was the name of the business, Murano Auto Repair (not the real name), and an old address.

Under normal circumstances, I would probably have grilled a potential client about the reasons for wanting to find the person, but I thought to myself, “This sounds like a fun little challenge.” Besides, I was sure this was going to be more an exercise in searching old newspapers and Ancestry.com, rather than investigative databases, which might need some permission. And I was pretty sure the guy wasn’t an axe-murderer. 

However, I didn’t have any sources at my fingertips to find information about the shop. Corporate records and old newspapers would probably be a good start. State licenses for running an auto repair came to the top of my head. Or calling the local library to see if they had any sources. But this was 50 years old, and I didn’t think this was something I would be able to do quickly.

Judging by the text, I was guessing that he didn’t really want to spend any money. That’s a big problem in my business; everyone thinks what I do is easy. Just a few clicks of the mouse.

But it’s not. Twenty years of knowledge, sources and experience might get me there a lot quicker than most people, but it’s almost never easy.

That being said, I am a sucker for a challenge. I was bored the night he sent it and I took the bait.

Hook, line and sinker.

Taking the bait…

Corporate records were a dead end, and a few quick database searches were useless as well. I couldn’t find any businesses at that address called Murano Auto Repair—or anyone even reporting the address. Even doing some advanced googling turned up nothing.

This made me suspicious—like maybe he had the information all wrong—so I wasn’t about to waste my time.

After digging through some old newspaper archives, I found an advertisement from the 1950s that showed the business address and phone number. I then found some old articles that talked about how the auto repair shop had been in business for three generations. A little while longer and I was able to find an article about the owner, Mr. Sexton (not his real name), and then one about his wife, Susanna, and an unnamed son who were running the business.

So I tracked them down. First, it turns out Mr. Sexton died in 1976. Mrs. Sexton took a bit longer to find; she lived until 1995. So now I had to find her next of kin. Luckily, a 1940 census (the most recent census available) showed that the Sextons had three children: two daughters, Ruth and Sylvia, and a son, Steven. I knew finding the two daughters would be tough; they had probably been married and changed their names long ago, before any electronic databases would have been keeping track of them.

But Steven? I was pretty certain I could find him. The census from 1940 said he was eight years old when the census was taken, so I had a pretty good idea of his age.

I found Steven. He was now living out in Arizona, in a nursing home with his wife. I sent the businessman his contact information.

“You’re fucking amazing,” he texted to me.

“If this is what your job is like, I’m envious!”

It felt good. Despite not charging anything for this, it was a fun little exercise. 

Kind of like a skill sharpening. And it was a nice goodwill thing, even if I didn’t make any actual money.

But a few weeks later, the businessman reached out to me again by text, saying that he had spoken to Steven Sexton at his nursing home and “he doesn’t remember” if his family owned the auto repair. “He doesn’t remember” sounded a bit suspicious.

He also tried speaking to the wife, but she hung up on him.

“I was so excited; thought you were onto something.”

Looks like I wasn’t onto anything after all…

Looking back, I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by that comment, but in the moment, it got to me. Nobody likes being wrong; especially me. 

I was certain I had the right guy.

In fact, I still am.

Maybe the guy had dementia. Or there could be a million other reasons why he couldn’t remember or didn’t want to remember. But, oh well.

I told the businessman I could track down one of Steven Sexton’s two sisters, but I knew that would take some time, and I was busy enough (and not certain enough that I could find them) that I didn’t want to put too much time digging into this for free.

But the businessman kept digging. He had come across a phone number of an unnamed auto repair in the same town from the 1970s and was wondering if I had access to old phone books to see whether the phone number was for the Murano Auto Repair we were looking for.

I sent him an ad that I had come across, which showed the phone number and address for the right auto repair, which didn’t match.

He responded, “The ad gives me the answer to the question! They did work at the address shown! That’s the only information I was seeking. Thank you again.”

Wait, what?

I was digging through 1940 census records in the wee hours of the night to find the owners’ children.

“I thought he wanted to find the owners or their next of kin,” I said to myself.

Turns out the businessman was involved in a property deal and wanted to know if the auto repair had previously operated at the property. You know, chemicals, liability issues.

Shit.

You see, the businessman thought he knew what he wanted, that he could just call the family of the owners, who would tell him, “Yeah, that’s where we were.”

Of course, it’s not that easy.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate…

That one simple question might have saved us both a lot of time, and saved me resources and expenses. I made it way more complicated than I needed to.

He could have simply asked me whether there was any way to tell me if Murano Auto Repair was at 100 Park Place in Wilton, Connecticut in the 1970s.

Or I could have simply asked, “Why do you want to find the owner?”

Also, things often get lost in translation through the written word. My competitive side had gotten to me and had taken his text the wrong way. 

In our fast-paced world of firing off texts or emails, not taking the time to talk through things, reading just the headline, or assuming you know what people mean, things can easily get jumbled, misconstrued or conveyed wrong.

I think a lot of the problems we have in the world right now stem from the fact that we don’t communicate with each other well.

We don’t say what we really mean because we don’t want to piss people off. Or we do the opposite—say too much without thinking about how it might affect people.

On the whole, human beings are terrible listeners too. We only listen to what we really want to hear. Or we just skip over the stuff that is not what we believe.

Or we don’t pick up the phone and talk things through.

Ineffective communication leads to misunderstandings, conflict and mistrust.

I don’t know about you, but I have complications in my life that I don’t need to inflame with poor communication.

So I’m gonna do my part and communicate better.

Starting right now.

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Back in April, in what is now considered the early days of the pandemic, I revealed my top 10 private investigator movies. It’s hard to believe, but since we are still in the midst of COVID-19 (and I still have some time on my hands), I have decided to reveal my top 10 private investigator TV shows. 

While there are mostly well-known classics on the list, there may be a couple of hidden gems that are new to the masses. 

Let’s dive right in. Here is my list:

10Remington Steele (1982 – 1987)

Stephanie Zimbalist and a pre-James Bond Pierce Brosnan starred in this show about  female private investigator Laura Holt, who is forced to create a fictitious male superior named Remington Steele after clients are reluctant to hire a woman. Brosnan plays a nameless thief and con-man who assumes the role of Steele, and uses his skills to help Holt solve cases. The two prove to be a romantically charged duo who often battle over who is really running things. 

Fun Fact: In 1986, Brosnan was chosen to replace Roger Moore as James Bond for the 1987 film The Living Daylights, just as Remington Steele was being cancelled. The news boosted ratings for Remington Steele, which was subsequently renewed. Brosnan’s contract obligation kept him from appearing as Bond until 1995’s Goldeneye.

9Spenser: For Hire (1985 – 1988)

Robert Urich starred in this show as Spenser (no first name!), a Vietnam vet and former police officer turned Boston private detective, who was first made famous in a series of novels written by Robert B. Parker. Spenser is more sophisticated than he appears, often quoting poetry and cooking elegant meals. He is often aided in his cases by a local enforcer named Hawk, played by Avery Brooks.

8Veronica Mars (2004 – 2006; 2019)

This fan favorite show starred Kristen Bell as the title character, a high school student and part-time private investigator. Veronica often works cases alongside her father, a disgraced Sheriff turned private investigator; while also taking on cases for fellow high school students. This fresh take on the genre leans heavily on the likeability of Bell, who is trying to solve cases, while also doing her best to navigate the complicated politics of high school.

7Monk (2002 – 2009)

Tony Shaloub starred in this show as Adrian Monk, a former police detective turned recluse after a nervous breakdown stemming from the murder of his wife. Monk works as a private detective often assisting the police with murder cases, all the while trying to solve his wife’s murder. Shaloub shines as Monk, whose high level of obsessive-compulsive disorder leads to quite a few laughs, while often aiding him in his investigations.

6Sherlock (2010 – 2019)

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as a modernized iteration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes. As always, he is aided by friend and war veteran Dr. John Watson, played here by Martin Freeman. Cumberbatch brings his quirky and brooding intensity to the role of Holmes, whose observational skills are second to none. There is a running subplot throughout the show of Holmes’ attempts to capture master criminal and nemesis James Moriarty, played by Andrew Scott.

5Psych (2006 – 2014)

This unique take on the genre stars James Roday in the role of Shawn Spencer, the son of a retired police detective, who uses his incredible skills of perception to pass himself off as a “psychic detective.” Dule Hill co-stars as his long suffering best friend and reluctant partner, Burton “Gus” Guster. The pair are often hired as consultants to assist the Santa Barbara police department, whose detectives are skeptical of Shawn’s psychic powers. The pop culture references and quick-witted humor that go along with each case are enough to always keep you on your toes and laughing.

4Moonlighting (1985 – 1989)

Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd star in this classic show about former supermodel Madison “Maddie” Hayes, played by Shepherd, who is forced to go into the detective business with devil-tongued manchild David Addision, played by Willis. The on screen chemistry between Shepherd and Willis made for some great witty banter, and wrote the book on “will they or won’t they?” tension.

3The Rockford Files (1974 – 1980)

This show starred James Garner as pardoned (not paroled!) ex-convict turned private investigator Jim Rockford. Upon his release from San Quentin prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Rockford mainly worked cold cases to avoid further ruffling police feathers. Rockford was not a typical TV private detective, as evidenced by his shabby wardrobe and residence in a beachside mobile home. The show was carried by Garner’s undeniable blue collar charm.

2Murder, She Wrote (1984 – 1996)

Angela Lansbury starred in this long running show as Jessica Fletcher, famed mystery novelist and resident sleuth of Cabot Cove, Maine. Fletcher often rubs law enforcement the wrong way with her involvement in cases, most of which are connected to an acquaintance of Fletcher. The amount of murders on the show which took place in the small fictional town of Cabot Cove has long been a topic of discussion. The term “Cabot Cove Syndrome,” has been used to describe an unusual amount of murders or dead bodies showing up in one rural or remote location.

1Magnum, P.I. (1980 – 1988)

This is the gold standard for private investigator television shows. Tom Selleck starred as Thomas Magnum, an ex-Navy SEAL working as a private investigator in Hawaii. Magnum lives rent free in a guest house on the lavish estate of famed author Robin Masters in exchange for providing security at the compound. He is often joined on cases by his war buddies Rick and T.C., and humor is abundant in Magnum’s hot and cold relationship with Higgins, the proper British caretaker of the Masters estate. This show is the basis for many people’s fantasy of what a private investigator actually does. 

Fun Fact: After filming the pilot for Magnum, P.I. for CBS, Selleck was chosen for the role of Archeologist adventurer Indiana Jones for the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark. When Magnum, P.I. was picked up as a series, CBS refused to let Selleck film the movie, and the rest is history.

Bonus Show — Columbo (1968 – 1978; 1989 – 2003)

While technically a police detective, the list would feel incomplete without mentioning the trenchcoat wearing, cigar chomping, smarter than he seems Frank Columbo. Peter Falk starred in this show about the seemingly aloof Columbo, who is constantly underestimated by the killers he is trying to catch. They always think they have him outsmarted until he turns around at the last second and utters his catch phrase, “Just one more thing.”

OK—there you have it. Did I fail to mention your favorite show? Let me know in the comments, as your taste may differ.

As I said before, and I’ll say again, nothing is as exciting to watch as an investigator unraveling a case and uncovering the truth.

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With the entire United States about to go into serious lockdown mode again (if you haven’t been in lockdown already), I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some things I have been watching, and things I plan on watching over the coming weeks.

A few of these recommendations have been around for a bit, but if you haven’t had the chance to this point, now is a good time to jump on the bandwagon.

Up Next

Room 2806: The Accusation

Netflix just dropped the series, Room 2806: The Accusation, a docuseries about the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case. In 2011, Strauss-Kahn was the head of the International Monetary Fund and was discussed as a possible candidate for president of France, until a housekeeper in the Sofitel Hotel in New York City accused him of sexual assault. This case hits close to home and should be wrapped up by the time this article is published ;).

The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley

I’m a little late to this party, and I am still playing catch-up. Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos have intrigued me for years. Holmes raised hundreds of millions of dollars from some of the smartest people in Silicon Valley, running a notoriously secretive company that was going to change the world. But it imploded and she turned out to be a complete fraud.

2020 Favorites

Trial 4

In 1995, 21-year-old Sean Ellis, in his third trial and after two mistrials, was convicted of killing a Boston police officer. But after some shoddy police work was uncovered involving some corrupt police officers, and because of an attorney who doggedly pressed the police to turn over state’s evidence for more than a dozen years, Ellis is now a free man.

McMillions

McMillions is a six-part documentary about an ex-cop turned security officer, who rigged the McDonald’s Monopoly game in the 1990s to the tune of millions of dollars. One of the highlights of the show is Doug Mathews, the loud, brash, lightning-in-a-bottle FBI agent that you will either love or hate. The show has everything from greed, deception and revenge to mobster intrigue and an amazingly fascinating set of characters.

Oldies but Goodies

Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist

In 2003, a pizza-delivery man with a bomb strapped around his neck robbed a bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, and died in front of police when the device detonated. The series focuses on the bizarre set of events and examines the motive behind the robbery, and the intriguing people behind the case, including Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, the mentally deranged woman who admits to killing multiple boyfriends without a single iota of remorse.

A Wilderness of Error

Did Jeffrey MacDonald, the Vietnam veteran and army physician, gruesomely slaughter his pregnant wife and daughter in 1970? Or was the murder committed by four drug-crazed hippies? [No, I didn’t make that up.] A Wilderness of Error, based on a book by Errol Morris, is a fascinating look at an old case that is still in the public consciousness after 50 years.

Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

Even though I watched this over a year ago, I still think of it often. The series is about an extraordinarily twisted Luca Magnotta, who posted a series of disturbing videos in which he suffocated and drowned kittens. It can be hard to watch at times; but trust me, it’s worth it. Unsurprisingly, Magnotta goes from killing animals to murdering a student from China and proceeds to mail his body parts to a local newspaper. The attention-seeking Magnotta is ultimately tracked down with the help of some amazing work by a group of dedicated internet sleuths using some amazing investigative techniques.

Probably my favorite show on this list.

Extra Credit

The Staircase, Making a Murderer and The Jinx are a few of my all-time favorites. They are a few years old at this point, but worthy of watching if you are running out of new shows to watch. Also Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez was pretty riveting as well.

If you aren’t willing to commit to a full docuseries just yet, try catching Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix, which has hour-long shows about some interesting cases (although they can be hit or miss).

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