I’ve been captivated by the Caylee Anthony since the first day its headline made breaking news. This case has grabbed my personal attention in many ways due to the various twists, turns and development involved. The death of a child at the hands of his or her own parent is terribly tragic and unfortunately, cases such as these transpire everyday throughout the nation.

In my opinion, the reason this case has garnered so much media attention is the fact that Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony  and others involved in the case appear to be your average American, maybe even your next door neighbor. Who would ever imagine that someone appearing to be so familiar could be capable of ending their child’s life?

I could get on my soap box and tell you all of the issues I have with this case from the perspective of a private detective, but for your sake, I’ll spare you. My real issue is with Casey Anthony’s legal counsel. How can this woman afford her powerhouse of a legal team when she is considered to be indigent? Her legal counsel has been compared to the likes O.J. Simpson’s legal team.For the life of me, I can’t figure that one out.

This week, Jose Baez, the lead attorney in the case, dropped a bombshell in his opening argument. He alleged that Caylee Anthony accidentally drowned in the family’s pool and that George Anthony, Caylee’s grandfather, covered it up. It seems as though the defense is doing all they can to make sure that Casey Anthony walks free, even if it means incorporating rumors, lies and false allegations to do so. If I were a private detective working on this particular investigation, my conscience wouldn’t allow me to be a part of the pool of lies and hypocrisy involved.

I’d be really surprised if Casey Anthony is found to be guilty. I know this may seem sensational, but with everything her legal team is alleging, it’s no telling what else will be brought to the surface. Unfortunately, this case hinges on nothing but assertions and accusations against everyone, except Casey Anthony. They say whatever is done in the dark will be brought to the light and I truly hope this is true for the Anthony case. She needs to be held accountable for what was done and have the courage to be truthful about it. Nothing bothers me more than dealing with dishonest people and because I’ve worked on death investigations in the past, I have a strong sense in determining when someone is being deceitful.

I’ve learned valuable lessons during my experience as a private detective in Raleigh, North Carolina and one of them knowing when to be a part of an investigation versus knowing when to limit involvement.    I know that I would not want to be involved with the Anthony case unless I was working on behalf of the prosecution. I aim for the truth and I truly believe that is the objective of the prosecution in the Anthony case.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped away from “A” list actor status (perhaps I’m using this term rather loosely) to public official, I’m sure fans of his Terminator franchise knew the Governator, “would be back”.  Now it seems that his highly anticipated acting comeback has hit an extremely embarrassing snafu.

I’m the first to admit that his recent allegations of illegitimately fathering a child with his housekeeper have me clinging to the television screen. I’m shamefully guilty of listening to every salacious detail that’s been uncovered as well as anxiously awaiting the next bit of breaking news to seep from the news stations. A few days ago, I thought to myself, “Why in the world am I so interested in this this particular case of infidelity?” Cases like these are a dime a dozen and I work them on a daily basis.

Arnold’s infidelity isn’t any different from the other nanny cases we’ve worked in the past. Typically, the nanny steals the husband from the family she’s working for and marries him (and don’t think this only happens with female nannies; male nannies are just as guilty). I’ve had clients come to our office with nightmare stories of how their nanny became their “best friend”, constantly told them about their spouses’ misdeeds, then turned out to be the very one caught in the act.

The Raleigh/Durham area frequently encounters cases like these. I guess I’m like every other American that’s engrossed in the sensuous details of tawdry affair because I grew up watching Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. All of us know his memorable lines and I dare say we can recite them by heart.

I can’t say I ever admired Arnold Schwarzenegger as a role model, even as he served as the Governor of California. What perplexed me about him as well as other Hollywood actors is how they’ve been able to transition from movies, wrestling and other unrealistic genres to become trusted political figures.

The complexity of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s marriage to Maria Shriver remains one of the most interesting aspects of the power couple. I was amazed that Maria, who comes from a family of iconic Democrats, even married such and outspoken and enthusiastic Republican. In 2003, she embraced his campaign, publicly supported his candidacy and denounced all allegations of cheating, infidelity and references to his sexually deviant behavior. With all of that “standing by her man”, she’s now left with embarrassment, hurt and pain.

Her situation is one in which I never want to experience or even consider. As a private investigator, I empathize with her pain and understand why she may file for divorce. The countless years of betrayal, the befriending of a woman who was supposed to be a household staffer and the hurt caused to her children is all too much to bear. I support Maria and in whatever decision she makes. Marriage counseling is an option, but that can only provide limited healing.

I’m sure with time and the support from friends, family and fans she will get through this tough stage in her life. What she needs now is prayer and compassion from everyone that has ever been in her situation, whether emotionally or physically. With enduring love, time and respect, wounds can heal and hurt can be overcome.

I have been a private investigator in Raleigh for nearly 15 years, and I have always been passionate about getting results for my clients. It’s one of the most important things that makes a good investigator, and so it has been one of the highest qualifying traits I’ve looked for in shaping the Cat’s Eye Private Investigations team over the years.  With the advent of new or improved surveillance technologies – specifically, GPS vehicle tracking systems – we have found a powerful way to get those results consistently for our cases.

When that technology first came into use, the idea of installing a GPS tracking device was an incredible feat when undertaking an investigation. Ten years ago, we would buy tracking devices and have to take them to the local cell phone store to literally have the cell phone service activated and then turn the ringer off. While those GPS trackers were accurate, there were no smart phones or iPads to allow us to monitor them in the field, so we had to have an investigator in the office directing and coordinating with the investigator in the field in order to get any useful results from that system.

Nowadays, we have smart phones, laptops, iPads, and other such technology that we can use to constantly know where our surveillance subject’s vehicle is located, even tracking them live while they are in motion. It really pleases me when I can say that we at Cat’s Eye Private Investigations have tracking devices that I trust and would literally bet my money on.  We’ve been able to track people’s activity not only here in North Carolina, but even when they have gone out of the state on trips, sometimes completely unexpectedly; thanks to the GPS devices we use, we have actually been able to get out there and see exactly where they went and start surveillance right on site.

We have sometimes had clients come to us after having already purchased tracking devices of their own.  Unfortunately, many who choose this route may not have the necessary “tech savvy,” and often even those who are very good with technology simply don’t have experience with this particular type of technology, having never had to use it before. This makes it difficult for them to choose a good device or service, not only because they do not know what to look for, but also because they don’t have a basis of comparison for what is a “good” tracker, or even what is possible. You’d be surprised how many unrealistic expectations movies and television have created for this technology!

For this reason, we strongly advise that if you do decide to purchase your own GPS tracker to try to confirm suspicions that your husband or wife is cheating, that you take the time to do your research first.  The GPS system should give you live updates and real-time tracking features, as well as keep a record of its history for you to review later.  You also want a system that allows you to set up virtual fences or “zones” that will alert you via email or text message whenever the vehicle enters or exits a zone that you consider relevant.  And one of the most important things you will want to consider in selecting a tracking device is the power. We recommend finding a device which will have a battery life of at least 30 days, so that you don’t have to worry about suddenly losing coverage in the middle of something important.

Ultimately, a GPS device will never be sufficient to replace an investigator on your case.  It is an amazing technology, but it is at the end of the day still technology, not a miracle. A GPS device can’t take pictures for you, it can’t tell you what it saw, it can’t prove whether anyone else was with your spouse.  GPS tracking is an incredible aid when used in combination with personal surveillance, because it greatly mitigates the difficulties of following a subject through rush-hour traffic or over long distances. It also means that you are less likely to need to use two investigators, or to have the investigator need to pursue your spouse very aggressively and cause suspicion.  It is truly a fantastic system, but it works best as a part of a collaborative efforts. So good luck, and happy tracking!

Now that I have been in the private investigative industry for well over ten years here in Raleigh, nothing really surprises me anymore.  There are a few instances when I learn about a new ruling, arrest, or situation that is intriguing, but nothing really shocking. Often times, the information provides a really interesting spin as to why someone has sought out Cat’s Eye Private Investigations and hired us to conduct research or surveillance on their behalf, and sometimes, it explains to me why people stay together.

I often follow up with clients who have become more than just business acquaintances during the course of their investigation, just to find out how they are doing emotionally after learning their spouses have cheated on them. One thing I have learned in this business is that an investigator has to be compassionate while being professional.  Adultery affects so many people, even just here in North Carolina, and it is truly heart wrenching as an investigator to meet someone very nice and watch them be treated badly and lied to over and over again. However, our relationship remains professional throughout the course of the investigation.  Part of what keeps me challenged as a detective is learning how we can help the next client achieve their very specific objective.

The culture of an individual has so much to do with why he or she engages our services. A while ago, Cat’s Eye P.I. conducted an investigation in which the purpose of our investigation was to simply have a conversation with a woman and secretly obtain videotape footage of her stomach area to determine whether or not she was pregnant.  The parents of a young man were our clients, and in their culture, it is very disrespectful to have a child outside of wedlock.  The parents were going to have their son marry or at least propose to the woman, should she have been pregnant. Luckily for him, she was not pregnant, and we were all able to breathe a sigh of relief.

In another case years ago, the beliefs of our client required that they get a tarot card reading before separating from their spouse after having them caught in the act of adultery.  The chart indicated that our client would have years of hardship and trials if they were to break up as a result of the investigation.  As a result, the couple remained together for several years because of the astrological implications of the adulterous affair.

For the reasons I indicated above, and the unusual encounters we have during the course of an investigation, I really love working with the team at Cat’s Eye P.I. and doing what I do as a private investigator. Raleigh is a wonderful place to live, work and have a family. Sometimes, we work marathon hours and the work is grueling and intense, but I would not change it if I could. Being an investigator is very interesting, but we owe a lot to the great people we meet!

This past Monday, March 14 of 2011, Wake County Judge Carl Fox awarded a sum of $30 million to Carol Puryear of Raleigh, North Carolina, in her Alienation of Affection suit against Ms. Betty Devin.  Though the amount is one of the largest in North Carolina’s history, including $10 million in compensatory damages and another $20 million in punitive damage, lawyers have said that the numbers in such cases are not determined based upon the defendant’s ability to pay.

I and my investigators here at Cat’s Eye Private Investigations have worked numerous cases which have gone to court for Alienation of Affection, so as soon as I read the news brief about the judgment, I immediately knew that a private investigator had worked the case on Ms. Puryear’s behalf in order to prove the matter so convincingly.  North Carolina’s laws require you to prove the third party has maliciously contributed to the demise of a marriage in order to legally establish alienation of affection and win such a case.

Alienation of affection cases have been seen in our state since as early as 1926, when a North Carolina jury awarded a Macon County woman $12,000 due to another woman’s interference with her marriage, eventually leading to a divorce.  While many states over the years have chosen to abolish their alienation of affection laws, the North Carolina Supreme Court determined not to do so when the matter came up in 1984, instead preserving this law even to today.

The courts here in North Carolina have shown in these law suits that the behavior of the married individual is very relevant to the case.  A judge may consider conduct both before and after the date of separation, particularly if it can be shown that the couple was in the process of attempting to reconcile the marriage and the third party intervened in that.  Further, if the plaintiff in such a case has circumstantial proof obtained before the date of separation, and the individual’s conduct further supports this with a relationship blossoming very soon after the date of separation, those facts can further weigh on the decision to award damages.  As unbelievable as it may sound, alienation of affection suits are mainly seeking to prove not sex, but rather that the couple was married and in love until this person’s interference destroyed the relationship.  Yet in my years of private investigation, I have seen time and again my clients come back to me telling me that the evidence we obtained allowed them to prove exactly that.

Our clients come into our office upset, overwhelmed, and often unable to tell what they should do in such difficult and painful circumstances as facing a cheating spouse.  The hard truth is that at some point in our lives, we all have had to learn that life is not fair.  Feeling that someone we love or have loved could treat us so poorly is incredibly hurtful, and the natural course of action is to strike back at the ones who have inflicted that pain.

The reality is that many of these cases are not pursued simply because of the expense involved, with the existing divorce process already being so draining in so many ways.  Often the third party does not have any assets to pursue, or what they have is not sufficient to make the cost of suit worthwhile.  Even in Ms. Puryear’s case, she may not actually collect that $30 million judgment she has been awarded. But I guarantee you she felt better walking out of that courtroom with the moral victory under her belt.

“The other woman” is always something of a touchy subject when it comes to the fall of a marriage. Our private investigation agency has dealt with more adultery and infidelity cases here in Raleigh than I can count, and all too often we catch a man with some lover other than his wife. When that other woman is the reason a man wants out of his marriage, what wife wouldn’t feel that this mistress is to blame for ruining the relationship? She was promised “till death do us part,” but the future of that promise has been snatched out of her hands.

Yet for all the heartbreak and loss of these wives – or soon-to-be ex-wives – there is at least some recourse for them through the legal system in many states. North Carolina maintains laws on Alienation of Affection, creating special cases in which that outside party (be it a woman or a man) bears some responsibility for the dissolution of the marriage. Cat’s Eye Private Investigations has been instrumental in providing many clients with the information and evidence they need to establish such a relationship as being the real reason or motivation behind a divorce.

For all that it can be incredibly painful for a person to learn that his or her spouse has cheated, it really can be better to go into court knowing and having that proof. After all, if someone had caused your husband or wife to lose interest, to no longer want to honor the commitment made at the altar, wouldn’t you want some recourse against that person? Yet it is more than simply a matter of revenge; a woman may have been counting on her husband to be there for her through their future together, and now she needs some way to pick up the pieces and get through that loss, especially when it means a radical change in her financial situation.

So why does the Alienation of Affection law exist? Originally, this law came about in a time when women were considered, in many legal ways, to be the property of their husbands. Thus, Alienation of Affection law was established so that there would be some basis on which one man could sue another for stealing his “property.” For this reason, some lawyers have argued that the law ought to be dropped entirely, arguing that all it does today is cause devastation and polarization in already painful divorce cases.

In modern cases, both men and women are covered by this law, so it may be seen as having evolved some from those origins. It can be a difficult case to make, because the plaintiff needs to establish first of all that love or affection previously existed between them and their spouse, and secondly that this outside party “stole” that, that they were responsible for the degradation of the relationship. If they can successfully make that case, though, they can be entitled to monetary compensation from that outside party – a sort of repayment for the intangible thing which they took.

Many of the domestic cases that Cat’s Eye Private Investigations has conducted surveillance or other investigation on have led to Alienation of Affection suits, or have provided evidence for suits already underway. Inevitably a cheating spouse will eventually become lazy or complacent in his or her daily actions and slip up in some observable way – maybe a few too many visits to the same “favorite restaurant,” perhaps a public kiss out in a parking lot – and that’s where a private investigator gets the opportunity to get that vital proof. With our highly-trained team of detectives, we are always alert to the signs of a good opportunity for surveillance.

And that training is also invaluable in catching them. You should never try to conduct surveillance on a spouse, loved one, or family member on your own, no matter how sure you are that they are cheating. Not only is there a greater risk that they will recognize your vehicle, but if they do catch you the results will be much more harmful, either to the trust of a continued relationship or to the chances of making a solid case in court. Instead, seek out a trained and licensed professional who can get the job done safely and effectively. Check out a company’s reviews, or if you have an attorney already, see if your attorney has worked with any investigators in your area. Because with something as important as your relationship, you should only trust it to the very best.

In the 13 years that I have worked as a private investigator, I have worked more infidelity cases than I can count; it seems like Cat’s Eye Private Investigations finds another cheater nearly every day, even just here in the RDU/triangle area. With the highly personal nature of these domestic cases, having conversations with my clients on such difficult life issues, a trust often develops that can become a friendship carrying on for years after the case is over.

But sometimes that “case closed” – the moment when our subject is caught in the act and their adulterous relationship unveiled – turns out not to be the end at all. Many couples come through the initial pain of discovering infidelity, and the challenge of confronting a loved one about his or her actions, to reconcile or seek counseling.  It may take years for the wounds to heal, to overcome the distrust and insecurity sown by a partner’s cheating. Yet with proper counseling, and a dedicated team effort, couples can recover.  They may never forget that awful low, but there may be hope still for a happy marriage to be salvaged.  The relationship doesn’t have to end.

For others, though, “not the end” turns out to be bad news – because what continues is not simply the marriage, but the cheating.  Too many times we have seen it where one of our clients has reconciled, forgiven his or her spouse for what was done, only to call us back some time later because they’ve noticed those same problems cropping back up, the same old signs of cheating.  It may be with the same person, or it may be someone new, but either way the pain of that broken trust, that abused forgiveness, is no small matter. What I see in these clients who come back is almost always someone who is emotionally stronger, clearer in his or her decisions even despite the unspeakable anger at that betrayal. Many are embarrassed at the thought of having to tell their families again, and if there are children involved those children’s lives are likely to be changed forever.

So what could motivate a married person to go back to cheating, even after he or she has been caught? In my experience, these people – dubbed “serial cheaters” – live lives of impulse and addiction. They can’t seem to overcome the desire to impress someone else, to maintain multiple relationships (however dead-end they may be), to manipulate their spouses.  They may even carry out more than one extramarital relationship at the same time.  Many of these serial cheaters are professionals with positions of high status; they seem drawn to anything that makes them feel powerful and in control.  The victims, in turn, are often vulnerable or easily impressed upon, with no idea of the complex web they are being drawn into.

That decision to cheat can shatter the trust a couple once shared, and all the more so for these repeat offenders. The spouse who has been betrayed may feel that now he or she has no choice but to file for divorce, both for their own sake and for the children’s. They may feel it will be better for the children to no longer endure that tension of watching their parents try to struggle through these issues, but settling custody and visitation schedules can perhaps be just as hard on them in its own way.

It is really tragic watching how these actions can tear apart a person’s marriage and their life. After watching these situations first hand for so many North Carolina couples, it’s hard for me to imagine some of these people ever making the choice to turn away from that lifestyle, to recover from the dishonesty and unfaithfulness that they have allowed to become a part of them. Can they ever turn around and become a faithful, committed partner? Or will the cycle continue forever?

One of the most common questions our private detective agency hears from potential clients is whether we can obtain copies of text message conversations their spouse is having to determine whether they may be cheating.  If you’ve ever called your cell phone carrier to try to get this information, you know it’s not as easy to get s you might hope – even when the phone bill is in your name. So what can a private investigator do for you?

There are a huge variety of different cellular models on the market, and each one operates differently. I had considered serving this need for our clients here in Raleigh by trying to find a data recovery kit that would cover most phones on the market, but such kits are not only too expensive to be cost-effective, but their results can vary to the point that they might not be usable for private investigation; we don’t want to tell our client we can get information unless we are sure our resources will really get everything.

Fortunately, a shift in the market has presented a more viable option for us, as one particular model has become extremely widespread: the iPhone. If our private investigation agency were to get the technology to recover data for iPhones, we would be able to serve a large chunk of the market that is looking for that type of service, so I took the plunge and purchased an iPhone Recovery Stick in order to test it out and review whether it can really do all that it boasts.

The contents of the package I received were quite simple: a 128mb USB drive containing the recovery software, and a standard aftermarket iPhone USB cord. The program on the USB drive was quite easy to install, and as soon as I plugged the phone into my USB drive the program was able to detect it.

Then came the test. I used my own phone first, since I knew what information I had deleted and could know what to expect in my results. Would this turn out to be a useful tool in catching cheaters? Could I recommend this as a way to unearth hidden infidelity? I could hardly wait to find out. I ran the program for about an hour, then stopped it, impatient to see my results though the recovery process had only reached 20% at that point.

My findings did not disappoint me. The recovery stick gave me a list of people I had deleted from my contacts, a backup of my calendar with details of appointments I had scheduled, and a list of deleted text messages including exactly when the text was sent. Not only that, but my call history was spot-on for both outbound and incoming calls, all with precise durations. Deleted images and even video files were recovered as well.  One caution, though – if the phone is password protected, the device cannot work properly without the password being entered first. While this wouldn’t pose an issue for recovering data from your own iPhone, it could be a real deal-breaker for someone trying to catch their spouse cheating.  It also does not yet support the Verizon iPhone, although the software is constantly being updated and that support may be available as soon as May of 2011.

Overall, this device gets a big thumbs-up from me, and I think it could be a very useful tool in some of the adultery cases we deal with here in North Carolina. We will still need to make sure that we exercise caution in using this technology for our clients, mainly because this can be such a thorny issue to navigate on the legal side. The last thing we want to do is ruin what could have been a strong case for someone in court by giving them access to information they don’t have a legal right to, so we certainly don’t want to be too quick to recommend this as a solution. However, when it is legal, it is good to know that we have access to the technology, and that it really works as promised.

When a man or woman receives deployment orders, there countless things that no doubt  will go through his or her mind. Even with the decision already made to serve one’s nation honorably, there are just so many issues and concerns to take into account.  But one of the most personal questions our married servicemen and women must face is this: Can my relationship last through this deployment?

Unfortunately, our private investigation firm has dealt with far too many cases of cheating spouses of members of the military. There are many reasons a husband or wife might turn outside of the marriage while a loved one is overseas – loneliness, feelings of abandonment, and even a simple lack of maturity can be enough to weaken them in the face of numerous temptations. Without a spouse present at one’s side, it can be all too easy to fall back into the mindset of singleness.

In the cases where our detective agency has served military personnel, their suspicions have generally been no different from those of civilians. The signs of cheating are in many ways universal, and an unfaithful husband or wife is no more or less likely to display them simply because of a spouse’s deployment – though they may be harder to spot because of the distance. Perhaps a spouse is not as supportive or attentive as they used to be, seeming distracted or distant. Or there may be others, friends or family members, who have seen questionable behavior – too much time with a “friend” of the opposite sex, or a tendency to conceal or lie about their activities. And there is risk for those who are deployed, too – the temptation to become too close with someone else on the base while away from their husbands or wives.

While there is always the possibility of reconciliation after infidelity, divorce rates have been a serious issue among servicemen. The military has made serious efforts to deal with these alarming numbers, and with a number of programs that have been put in place the numbers have at least been slowed. These military programs are taking a proactive approach, looking to aid couples in dealing with marital conflicts and improving family life, but ultimately the couples themselves need to take an active role first.

Yet beyond simply trying to deal with the situation once they’re in it, couples need to take the time to really consider before they make the step to get married, and this is only that much truer when one member is in the service. Many of these couples are marrying young, rushing to tie the knot before one member ships overseas. Is it wise to use marriage simply as an attempt to solidify the relationship if it would have fallen apart otherwise? Or could that commitment just make it all the more painful when someone does cheat?

Extra income, better housing, or military pensions are simply not reasons enough to go running to the altar with someone you don’t truly know. Without a strong relationship and personal sense of maturity, a marriage cannot provide you a safety net when you are facing the challenges of adult life or even possibly raising a child. And it may not be enough to strengthen one against the temptations of adultery – especially when a spouse is so far away.

No one should enter into a marriage lightly, and no one should take it lightly once entered into. Marriage is a wonderful and joyful thing, but it also takes real work and commitment to maintain, especially when you add in the challenge of distance. And for those who are right now married to a man or woman currently deployed, or those who are currently deployed with a stateside spouse, please, consider the consequences before you look outside of your marriage for support. Is meeting your needs for one moment worth all the harm you would do to yourself and your spouse by breaking that vow?