I think one benefit of hiring a PI is for PR purposes. For instance, in the Ramsey case, they hired Lou Smit, and he would do lots of interviews promoting the intruder theory, and it was always said how Lou had solved 200+ cases while Steve Thomas (the Boulder head detective had never solved one, how Lou had thought the parents did it but after praying with them, he changed his mind, etc. In this case, if the PI is able to give interviews saying how a kidnapper took Deorr, I consider that an attempt at positive PR. I remember when they had the other guy working for them, and how he would talk about the suspicious man staring at the store, the car, etc. I remember they were saying how we were going to get a sketch of this suspicious man, but we never did. I also do not remember anyone here seriously think this man was involved. I find it interesting that they sort of gave up on that whole theory (and even got rid of their original PI) when it didn't catch on with case followers. Regardless of guilt or innocence, you want the public to think you had nothing to do with your son's disappearance.
