Citizen Detective Training PDF

📘 How to Investigate a Cold Case From Home

A Citizen Detective’s Guide to Researching Cold Cases Responsibly, Legally, and Effectively

Description:
This in-depth, 10-chapter guide is your go-to resource for diving into the world of unsolved crimes and missing persons—from the comfort of your own home. Whether you’re a true crime enthusiast, a budding citizen detective, or an advocate for justice, this downloadable PDF will teach you how to research cold cases ethically, organize your findings like a pro, and navigate legal boundaries without crossing lines.

Inside, you’ll learn:

• 🕵️‍♂️ How to reconstruct timelines, read crime scenes, and track down public records

• 🧬 What forensic genealogy, DNA databases, and geofencing tools can reveal

• 📂 How to file FOIA requests and organize a case file like a digital detective

• ✉️ When (and how) to contact victims’ families, journalists, or law enforcement

• ⚖️ The ethical rules every researcher must follow to protect themselves—and others

• 🧠 How to manage emotional burnout and know when to step back

Plus:
✔️ FOIA templates
✔️ Case timeline spreadsheets
✔️ Interview note-taking formats
✔️ A curated list of books, podcasts, and online communities
✔️ A bonus chapter on publishing your findings responsibly

Whether you want to raise awareness, help families, or simply understand the process behind solving the unsolved, this guide equips you with the tools to do it right.

🧠 Because you don’t need a badge to care—just a clear mind, a steady heart, and the will to remember what others have forgotten.