Psychic Detectives Have a Perfect Record - Miller-McCune
The afternoon of June 7, The New York Times sent out a news alert: “Up to 30 Dismembered Bodies Found Near Houston, Reuters Reports.” CNN also reported that the home near Houston involved “at least 20 bodies, including those of children.”
The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the house in Hardin, Texas, and despite some conflicting information related to blood found on a door and strange odors, Texas Rangers were unable to locate any bodies or graves on the site.
While all this makes fine fodder for castigating reputable news organization like the Times, Reuters and CNN for being too fast on the trigger, Skeptic’s Café is interested in another aspect: Houston TV station KPRC reported the investigation all began with a phone call from a psychic.
Yes, a psychic. I knew you were thinking this.
Psychic detectives often show up in stories about missing children, unsolved murders and cold-case crimes. Many people believe that police departments and detectives hire psychics for assistance, but one study found that two-thirds of the 50 largest U.S. police departments have never consulted a psychic to help them out in an unsolved crime. What’s a bit scary is that 35 percent did, although many times it is at the request of a family member, and their work typically interfered with the search.
How effective are these psychics, and can any of them be good enough to claim noted debunker James Randi’s million-dollar offer by showing “under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event”?