Murder is an unnatural act that fascinates many of us. Not that we want to commit it; but, we wonder about those who do. The rise in popularity of true crime books and streaming shows proves the unexplained fascination with murder – as long as we view it at a distance from the safety and comfort of home.
However, a few select people go further and seek out online forums and special interest groups that discuss specific murders. The Destin True Crime Club is a dedicated group of people who get together to discuss murders. Members review various cold case murders and select one with the goal of solving the murder through extensive research, interviews (when possible) and public records. The information is then presented to the proper investigative agency, in the hope that they can move the case toward a solution.
In this journey, club members learn the principles of solid homicide investigations. Local resident, Mike Yoder, who leads the group, is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent with 20+ years working on violent crimes, with eight years of that career as a Criminal Profiler where he worked on both single and serial murder cases, violent child crimes, kidnappings and FBI Top Ten Most Wanted cases. Mike taught at the University of West Florida as an Adjunct Instructor in the Criminal Justice program, and as founder, mentor and advisor to the Destin True Crime Club, he shares his vast knowledge of crime, interviewing, and investigation so that civilian members unfamiliar with criminal investigations are effective and well trained.
“Each case starts with researching who the victim is because we want to learn how a victim becomes a victim (Victimology),” says Mike. “We look for reasons that the murder occurred (Motive). We research how the crime happened, the circumstances of how the murder took place, when it occurred, and any forensic information we can find to form a theory on a possible offender (Crime Scene Analysis).”
He continues, “We look at the details of the murder, because each has its own characteristic (Typology). In many cases, we learn enough to understand the type of offender (Offender Profiling). We incorporate police techniques such as statement analysis and behavioral analysis to help us understand the nature of the crime,” Mike says.
The Destin True Crime Club members learn to become true crime sleuths by digging deep into the research and learning how the information fits into the narrative of who committed the murder and why they committed it. “Our shared goal with the police is to seek justice for a victim that can no longer speak for themselves by holding someone responsible for their deadly acts,” says Mike. “We hope our efforts bring closure to the families and friends of victims as they mourn the loss of their loved one.”
“Human behavior is varied and complex, but most behavior fits into common themes. It is about knowing the various themes and applying the correct one to the specific crime,” says Mike.
If you have an interest in true crime and want to know how to become a sleuth, please check out the FaceBook page at Destin True Crime Club. The group meets once a month to discuss its ongoing research of the case at hand and brainstorm ways to continue its research. “This is a serious, but fun, group of people who have the passion to solve cases,” Mike says.
Email Mike at myoder0361@gmail.com for questions about the club. Mike is also available to speak to groups on a variety of violent crime issues.
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