Thank You for visiting Associates in Forensic Investigations!
Our mission is Legal Investigations and Expert Consultations of Personal Injury, Negligence & Death for Civil, Criminal and Probate pre- and active litigation for Attorneys; and assisting Professional Investigators; and helping Families with the unexpected and questioned death of a loved one.
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Dean started their agency in October 1987 with general litigation investigations. Dean and Karen together have approximately 50 years of combined investigative experience and a combined official death investigation experience of over nine years at a busy and unique coroner/medical examiner’s office; and since 2008 in private subject matter expertise.  They were also among the first to be licensed private investigators under Colorado's unique (2012) and unique 'Voluntary Private Investigator Licensure Program'.  The voluntary licensing program was repealed in May 2014 and in June 2015 the new mandatory licensing law was effective.  See www.ColoradoLicensedPrivateInvestigators.com for details.  AFI-LLC continues to seek the distinction to our professionalism by being vetted for our experience, character and references that licensure assures our clients and consumers.  Licensed private investigators hold themselves to a higher level of professionalism and accountability for their peers, clients and the general public.
Associates in Forensic Investigations LLC is licensed, bonded and insured:
Colorado effective 09/01/2020 PI Licensing repealed due to 07/11/2020 governor's veto to continue this consumer protection
Cheyenne WY Agency Occupational License No. 31146
In 2021 Dean and Karen co-developed and released the Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI) Program specifically for Criminal Defense Investigators to obtain education and knowledge in death and serious bodily injury investigations they are unable to receive in the public sector.
Click on profile photographs to download full CVs

Dean A. Beers, CLI, CFDI, CCDI, CFI-FTER, CFSI
[email protected]

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Dean is one of less than 80 Board Certified Legal Investigators (CLI) internationally and the only in northern Colorado.  With his wife, Karen, he is also a Certified Criminal Defense Investigator (CCDI), Certified Forensic Interviewer-Forensic Testimonial Evidence Recovery (CFI-FTER), and Certified Forensic Science Investigator (CFSI). They are one of three husband & wife CCDIs and CFI-FTER teams nationwide; and only also holding the CFSI.  Dean and Karen are  also certified Medicolegal Death Investigators.

He has extensive background in medicolegal-forensic and factual Investigations with law enforcement education, experience and relationships.  He has testified as an Expert in Forensic Investigations of Pattern Injury Analysis and Private Investigations, and is currently consulting nationwide as an expert in criminal defense homicide and civil equivocal death investigations for law firms, investigative colleagues and families.

As a death investigator Dean was involved in the investigations of all manners of deaths and incidents, training under six Forensic Pathologists.  From 2003-2008 he investigated over 150 scenes, assisted with approximately 400 autopsies and investigated nearly 600 additional non-autopsied cases. This does not include over 1,100 additional cases not taken for jurisdiction, in training or as the backup investigator (frequently in homicides and child deaths).

Over 6,500 hours of experience specific to death investigation and related injuries, negligence and causation - from investigation to forensic autopsy assistance.  Education and Training from 2000-2008 includes over 600 hours in the Law Enforcement Academy and 1200 hours of general and forensic investigative specific training in multiple disciplines.

Dean has written and presented extensively on multiple investigative topics, and has authored three books - 'Practical Methods for Legal Investigations' and 'Professional Investigations: Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities' and 'A Survivors' Guide to Death Investigations' (the latter two with Karen).  Also with Karen he co-developed 'Death Investigation for Private Investigators', an online continuing education course at www.MedicolegalDeathInvestigations.com and with her co-authored 'Death and Serious Bodily Injury Investigations for the Professional Investigator'.

Dean has won two Editor / Publisher Awards from the National Association of Legal Investigators official journal 'The Legal Investigator' for 'Reviewing and Comprehending Autopsy Reports' (CLI white paper, 2nd Place, 2011) and 'Interpreting Bruises and Related Soft Tissue Injuries' (1st Place, 2014).

Dean holds, or has held several board and committee positions, including: Board Chairman (2010-2012)
VP of Membership (2008-2010)
Life Member (awarded 2012) Certified Legal Investigator
Region 6 CLI Committee (CO, WY, MT, NM , AZ, UT & ID) (2010 to Present)
Legislative Committee (2015-2020; past Chair 2017-2019)
Education Committee (2017-2018) Past President / Board Member (2018-Present)
Board Chairman (2017-2018)
President (2016-2017)
1st Vice President (2015-16)
2nd Vice President (2014-2015)
3rd Vice President (2013-2014)
National Secretary (2012-2013)
Region 5A Director (CO, NE, WY & AZ - 2011-2012)
Membership Committee - Investigations (2010)
SAAB / SLAM Committee (2012)
Vendor & Sponsor Committee (2015-2017)
Nominating Committee (2018-2021)
Conference Committee (2016 to Present; Chair 2018)
Editor - Advocate (2015 to Present)
Vinson Award (2012)
Wunder Award (2016)
Duffy Award (2017) Certified Criminal Defense Investigator
Certified Forensic Interviewer - Forensic Testimonial Evidence Recovery
Faculty Advisor - Forensic Investigations
Investigator / Philosopher Award - “impartial and objective advocate for the truth” (11/2017) Governor of the Americas (2012-2021)
Ambassador - North America, West (2011-2012)

He is also a member of the National Defender Investigator Association, National Association of Medical Examiners, Inner Circle of Investigators, International Association for Identification, and International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners.

In addition, membership in other state associations includes the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators, the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators
and others.

Karen S. Beers, BSW, CFDI, CCDI, CFI-FTER, CFSI
[email protected]

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 Karen earned her Bachelor's in Social Work from Colorado State University (Magna Cum Laude).  With her husband, Dean, she is also a Certified Criminal Defense Investigator (CCDI), Certified Forensic Interviewer-Forensic Testimonial Evidence Recovery (CFI-FTER), and Certified Forensic Science Investigator (CFSI). They are one of three husband & wife CCDIs and CFI-FTER teams nationwide; and only also holding the CFSI.  Karen and Dean are  also certified Medicolegal Death Investigators.

Her background, education and experience with victim advocacy and counseling are valuable assets in working with families and victims of traumatic events.

Possessing strong interpersonal skills and ability to reach out to people, she brings a unique perspective to cases, particularly lifestyle matters and mitigation.  Her death investigation training and experience, together with her social work and general investigative skills and experience, are an asset to the medicolegal and criminal defense investigative processes.

With her education, training and experience as a death investigator, Karen was involved in the investigations of all manners of deaths and incidents, training under three Forensic Pathologists.  From 2004-2006 she investigated and assisted with numerous death cases and scenes, and assisted with forensic autopsies.

Following graduation from Colorado State University was an extensive internship at a youth counseling and rehabilitation facility.  She is also a member of the Criminal Defense Investigations Training Council.  Karen has been professionally published with 'The Basics of an Autopsy Report' (PI Magazine, Dec 2011) and 'Understanding Suicide and its Prevention – Equivocal Death Investigations' (PursuitMag.com, Dec 2011 and CALI Dec 2012), 'Understanding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder' (CALI, Dec 2012), and ‘False Confessions and Accusations’ (PursuitMag.com, Feb 2012).  With Dean she co-developed 'Death Investigation for Private Investigators', an online continuing education course for www.PIEducation.com.  She also assisted with Dean's revised book, 'Professional Investigations:  Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities' and with her co-authored 'Death and Serious Bodily Injury Investigations for the Professional Investigator'.

Karen also operates Beers Association Management, and oversees the following: Executive Director (August 2018 to Present) Administrative Manager (September 2016 to Present) Education Committee (2017-2018)

Karen is a member of the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado, National Association of Legal Investigators, Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council (CCDI and CFI-FTER) and National Defender Investigator Association and the Inner Circle of Investigators.

"Equivocal Death Investigations/Analysis. Sometimes the death of a loved one leaves behind many unanswered questions. Helping clients understand the investigative process, answer questions to help ease their minds are the main goals of a death analysis. Due to the prevalence of Equivocal Death Analysis, we now offer a flat-fee to further help families in their time of need. Helping clients with lingering issues surrounding a loved ones death is difficult yet necessary to assist in resolving issues that can sometimes take years. Hearing the words, "Thank you, you have helped me to understand" whatever questions they may have had tucked inside their minds is very rewarding." - Karen Beers

Letters from Yesteryear

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by Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI, CFI-FTER

We are very proud that Karen has completed her first book - a non-fiction short piece based on actual letters from an ordinary frontier family.

One of the best ways to learn about history is from people who actually lived and documented what they experienced. The book Letters From Yesteryear is a collection of letters written between the years 1879 and 1900. These letters were written with no intent other than to keep in contact with family. Through the innocent, honest writings of these letters, historical information is gained regarding the late 1800’s in parts of the United States of America.

www.LettersFromYesteryear.net

< Click Here > to learn "What is a Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI)?"
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