A.C.I
Private Investigator
nosyparker, the American public is a very valuable tool in missing persons investigations. To keep info close to the vest is squandering this resource and only leads to more precious innocent victim's lives lost & mounting cold cases.
Although there are other reasons for the 'close to the vest strategy', the primary reason is for the prosecution of the perp once identified and arrested. The problem is that they seldom are.
One only has to consider the 100,000+ missing persons cold cases across the US, to conclude that the 'close to the vest/silence & missinformation strategy' by LE used in the past is antiquated and ineffective..
As in the Mickey Schunick investigation, the perp/s remain at large, while empowering them, placing her at risk, as well as jeopardizing the safety of the entire community.
Not to mention LPD has already said this is the biggest investigation this parish has ever seen. And it's true. I think its a matter of small town LE trying to handle this massive investigation while in the midst of the big internal investigation going on and they just don't know how to handle things properly. The strategy taken, while valid once, is no longer the method that should be used to solve crimes...period. It's 2012. This is the technology and information age. It should be shared and utilized to it's maximum potential. We are the eyes and ears and the boots on the ground and need to be kept informed.