Investigations have certain common elements: finding things people don't want found, discovering facts wished to be hidden, and bringing those facts or items to light.  The best claim for expertise in these areas is demonstrated success over time. Read the case summaries, then call or email us for the very best investigative service anywhere.  Click below to view a small segment of a real O'Brien Investigation planning session.

Missing  Persons
A fine upstanding young man from upstate New York moved to California to complete his professional studies.  A girl friend, a part-time professional position, and full time studies with an outstanding academic record completed the picture.  Long close to his family, his weekly phone calls and frequent notes home, stopped suddenly.  Calls to his apartment found him gone, no forwarding address. His studies were dropped in mid-term, and his girl friend reported nothing amiss until one day she found his apartment empty and him gone.  Family's attempts to locate him were me with polite but ineffective response.  O'Brien Investigations located him in a short time living in a reclusive cult in Southern California.  Family contact was established and the desperate fears were allayed.

Attorney Support:
A large university found itself no longer the beneficiary of a multi-million dollar bequeath upon the death of a wealth benefactress.  It was determined that the lady of advanced years had suddenly changed her will several months before her death.  It was also evident that the mental condition of the friend of the university had been suspect and O'Brien Investigations was called in to review the conditions under which the will had been changed.  Developing detailed behavioral observations from many sources, and using charts to show the course of Alzheimer's Disease, O'Brien Investigations was able to convince a court that the lady was not of sound mind at the time she changed her will.  The will was set aside, and the previous will used to distribute her estate. The University benefited in the amount of more than $5 million dollars, and the wishes of the lady were realized.  The case demonstrates the ability of O'Brien Investigations to elicit detailed information and to utilize a creative resourcefulness to bring that information forward in a cogent and effective fashion.
 

 Interviews:
The mother of the infant child said that her daughter was abducted or had wandered off.  The suburban community galvanized and a major manhunt was conducted over several days.  She tearfully appeared on television to plead for the safe return of her daughter.  Joe O'Brien sensed something amiss, and continued to gently encourage the distraught mother to talk about her missing daughter, encouraged her to talk about her child's life and behavior.  After two days, the mother broke down and confessed to the strangulation murder and burial  of her daughter in the woods near her house.  Despite the lack of physical evidence, Joe O'Brien's skill is assessing people, his long field experience, had given him both the intuition to discern the false ring to the story but also the exquisite skill to  create the situation which brought forth the confession.

Justice
It was a terribly distraught father who came to O'Brien Investigations to describe the victimization of his mentally handicapped son by a prominent attorney and judge.  His son was proud of a friendship and was unable to discern the manipulation which robbed him of over $30,000.  The perpetrator was a respected attorney and judge whose word would carry weight over that of a handicapped young man.  The father wanted his son to understand the terrible wrong done him, the attorney punished for his wrongdoing, and his son's money restored to its rightful owner.  Police would have been able to garner evidence sufficient to achieve some of these objectives, but only an astute private investigator would have been able to achieve all the outcomes sought by the family.  Today the former attorney is disbarred, the money returned The client's son is the recipient of a direct confession from  his former "friend," all thanks to O'Brien Investigations.

Personal Investigations
It was a engagement made in heaven. The quiet young man thrilled to have landed such an attractive and dynamic fiancée.  He was finishing his studies in the Northeast while his wife to be continued her work as a massage therapist in Florida.  After several unexplained absences of his love, the young man contacted O'Brien Investigations.  An undercover investigation revealed that in the reality the unexplained absences were visits to the Caribbean with a boyfriend; her work as a massage therapist had a less savory and less professional aspect, and that she was using the young man. However unpleasant the news, O'Brien Investigations quickly discovered and reported the truth and a tragedy was averted.


Priority Cases
In the press of crime, some cases receive low priority and little or no investigative attention from law enforcement authorities. .  O'Brien took over the  investigation.  A lighted  display welcomed children to the holidays in the center of a small community.  One day shortly before Christmas the display disappeared. Of little interest to police agencies, O'Brien Investigations pressed the case as a community service and news articles and children's thank you letters bespoke the appreciation of a community.