# Is it typical for the FBI to be this involved in a Missing Person case? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 2, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129 "2003-01-02T01:30:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129/1 "2003-01-02T01:30:38Z")
In May 2000, this young woman in my town went missing, obviously the victim of an abduction. It’s a heart-wrenching case, and I almost hesitate to post this for fear of implying that it is somehow undeserving of the attention and involvement it garnered. However, I am curious–is the FBI often involved in a missing persons case to this extent? Some of my family members speculate that the investigation may be influenced by the fact that Jill’s family is wealthy, although they don’t strike me as enormously rich–just quite well-off. Perhaps all the local publicity has an effect? I really don’t know, just curious. For example, they–local and federal officials–drained over 200 million gallons of water from a section of creek that was over (IIRC) 1 mile long, an operation that took over a week and heaven knows how many man hours. (Although the equipment, I believe, was donated, and I’m sure many of the men volunteered as well.) I am looking for more concise info, but I do remember that the amount of money spent for the creek draining was enormous, as you can imagine. I’ve posted a couple of links. As an update, the police have identified three suspects, at least one of whom seems to be singing like a canary and implicating another. In short, if the suspect’s story is true, three buddies were out after a night of partying, hit Jill as she either rode or stood beside her bike (I don’t know if this was accidental or not), abducted her to the creek, murdered her there, and threw her body into the water. Her bike was found some 10 miles away, just down the road from my house. ☹ [http://www.theindychannel.com/ind/news/stories/news-165680020020909-110901.html](http://www.theindychannel.com/ind/news/stories/news-165680020020909-110901.html) [http://www.indystar.com/library/factfiles/crime/missing/jill\_behrman.html](http://www.indystar.com/library/factfiles/crime/missing/jill_behrman.html) What do you think? Is the extent of involvement by the FBI extraordinary? It seems to me that it is, but perhaps that is just because this is so local to me, and I’m more aware of all the behind-the-scenes work that I don’t hear about with other cases. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129/2 "2003-01-02T01:50:33Z")
Most likely the poor girl was tangled up in a serial killers web. And the Feds already had several other murders with the same M.O. and they figured the best place for evidence was in the creek where she was murdered. Down the road from your house as it were. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129/3 "2003-01-02T03:49:36Z")
The F.B.I does not get involved (usually) in purely local crimes (or the local agent may have had a slow day, been a friend - agents sometimes act on their own). If the agency sent in outside resources, then they probably had a suspect they wanted to nail - in which case they will take the lead in otherwise local cases. I think. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129/4 "2003-01-02T08:01:46Z")
First, the FBI rarely gets involved in missing person cases unless asked to by people with clout. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. In a missing person case, the authorities have _no idea_ what happened to person, whether they are alive and well or whatever. This is a suspected homocide. (vehicular homocide) Still, this does seem like purely a state matter. I’m thinking that the suspect here is also a suspect in another federal investigation. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129/5 "2003-01-02T14:33:40Z")
I thought the reason for FBI involvement in abduction cases was that when a person is abducted, it is generally within reason that the abductor could have taken or did take the abductee across state lines, thus putting the crime into the federal light. Perhaps I have been wrong and someone with more knowledge of law enforcement could enlighten? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129/6 "2003-01-02T15:35:02Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Moving to GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-typical-for-the-fbi-to-be-this-involved-in-a-missing-person-case/146129/7 "2003-01-02T19:11:47Z")
> [@](#): > > **If a crime is committed that is a violation of local, state, and federal laws, does the FBI “take over” the investigation?** > > No. State and local law enforcement agencies are not subordinate to the FBI, and the FBI does not supervise or usurp their investigations. However, through cooperation, the investigative resources of the FBI and state and local agencies often are pooled in a common effort to investigate and solve the cases. In fact, many task forces composed of FBI Special Agents and state and local officers have been formed to locate fugitives and to address serious, recurring crime such as terrorism and street violence. > > **If an individual is being sought by local police for committing a crime, what assistance can the FBI render to locate the fugitive?** > > A “stop” will be placed against the fugitive’s fingerprints in the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division. Local police will be notified immediately upon the receipt of any additional fingerprints of the fugitive. The fugitive’s name and identifying data also will be entered into the National Crime Information Center, a computerized database which is accessible to law enforcement agencies nationwide. Any agency which subsequently inquires about this individual will be informed of his or her fugitive status. In addition, the FBI may obtain a federal arrest warrant and thereafter attempt to locate an individual who flees prosecution or confinement if there is reason to believe the person has traveled across a state line or left the country. > > **If a child is missing and possibly kidnapped, but no interstate transportation is known, will the FBI begin an investigation?** > > Yes, the FBI will initiate a kidnapping investigation involving a missing child “of tender years” even though there is no known interstate aspect. Tender years is generally defined as a child twelve years or younger. The FBI will monitor other kidnapping situations when there is no evidence of interstate travel, and it offers assistance from various entities including the FBI Laboratory. Source: [http://www.fbi.gov/aboutus/faqs/faqsone.htm](http://www.fbi.gov/aboutus/faqs/faqsone.htm) > [@](#): > > FBI Priorities > > 1. Protect the United States from terrorist attack > 2. Protect the United States against foreign intelligence operations and espionage > 3. Protect the United States against cyber-based attacks and high-technology > crimes > 4. Combat public corruption at all levels > 5. Protect civil rights > 6. Combat transnational and national criminal organizations and enterprises > 7. Combat major white-collar crime > 8. Combat significant violent crime > **9. Support federal, state, local and international partners** > 9. Upgrade technology to successfully perform the FBI’s mission (Emphasis mine.) Source: [http://www.fbi.gov/priorities/priorities.htm](http://www.fbi.gov/priorities/priorities.htm)