Compiling a Search Warrant

Putting together a comprehensive search warrant that may provide badly needed physical evidence is key to an occult crime investigation. Be sure to validate the need for every item prior to the search. While the following items should be included on a search warrant, it is again important to emphasize that when interpreting the actual occult connection between the evidence that is seized and an occult crime, other professional expertise should be obtained.

Clothing and Jewelry

* black satin or velvet right-handed glove;

* robes, detachable hoods;

* costumes and masks;

* martial arts clothing;

* medallions with Satanic symbols;

* large ruby or red-stoned ring.

Games, Books, Wall-hangings

* occult games;

* occult books;

* handwritten diaries;

* writings in non-discernable alphabet;

* posters of heavy metal rock stars, mythological beings, nightmarish pictures, sadomasochistic sex.

Weapons

* heavy wooden staff;

* sword;

* knives or athame, a handmade knife with a black handle and etchings;

* bull whip, cat o' nine tails, ligeratures;

* martial arts weapons.

Ritual items

* altar, wooden stand, marble slab;

* crosses;

* candles and candle holders;

* chalice, goblet, cruet;

* gongs, drums, bells;

* hair and skeletal remains;

* coffin, coffin nails;

* ashes from fire pits, fireplaces, wood stoves;

* phallus, serpent symbols;

* incense and incense burner;

* body paint, face paint;

* feathers;

* mirror;

* twine string;

* herbs, especially salt, bay leaves and garlic;

* caldron or iron pot;

* coins, statues, stones, jewels.

Conducting an Occult-Related Investigation

After the law enforcer checks the crime scene for possible occult links and arranges for an occult-specific search warrant, he or she then must take careful investigative steps designed to build a clear case for the prosecution. An excellent example of how that was accomplished is the Clifford St. Joseph case examined in Legal Case study #3.

Based upon information obtained from many law enforcers who have investigated occult-related crimes, the following investigative guidelines - many of which are essential for any good investigation - are suggested:

1. Document all evidence as soon as it is received. Provide a detailed accounting of all that is reported.

2. Assign at least one investigator who is not a member of the investigatory team to act as a liaison with the media and general public. This investigator should exclusively handle the media, handle hot line tips, and prioritize leads as they are received.

3. Involve the District Attorney in the early stages of the investigation. Realize that by including the D.A. at the beginning, chances increase for a more successful prosecution.

4. Keep all investigative information confidential for as long as possible. It is especially important to keep materials confidential until the suspects have been identified.

5. Execute search warrants as soon as needed, but not short of probable cause. Be sure to validate the need for every item prior to the search; look for items associated with rituals and/or a belief system as described above and in the various tables.

6. Keep the following in mind when examining the evidence: can you determine if the crime involved ritual or violent, random acting out; did the abuse fall into a particular ritualistic pattern; if ritual was involved, was it part of a belief system identified with a particular group or was it an individualistic belief system; and is there any evidence of networking at any level?

7. Build the case on physical evidence.

8. Avoid narcissistic denial. Do not be mislead with the following types of thoughts: I don't want to be wrong and look like a fool; my supervisor is skeptical the case can be solved, so I better drop it; the suspects are credible in the community so they couldn't have done it or we won't be able to convince a jury they did it; this case will make my career.