Can Psychics and Mediums Really Solve Crimes?

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of the “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, remains missing. While authorities have released footage of a suspect and interviewed persons of interest in the case, it remains unresolved. 

Is now the time for amateurs to provide backup? Some people think so. 

Across the internet, people claiming to have supernatural powers are offering their services in the hopes of moving the needle. In Facebook groups, TikTok comment sections, and Twitter posts, self-described mediums are volunteering help to Guthrie’s desperate family.

This is not unusual. Whenever a case turns cold or feels especially tragic, mediums often show up – uninvited by police, but welcomed by grieving loved ones looking for answers. Let’s take a closer look at how this works, who’s involved, and whether there’s any truth to the idea of “psychic detectives.”

How Psychics Claim to Help

Psychics and mediums who assist in criminal cases say they receive information in ways that aren’t visible to the rest of us. Some report vivid visions. Others hold objects that once belonged to the missing person, claiming they pick up emotional or physical “imprints.” Mediums may say they’re speaking directly to the deceased, or receiving impressions in flashes or dreams.

In practice, this could mean identifying an important location on a map, describing a suspect, or sharing symbols or phrases that are meaningful to the victim’s family. None of this information is admissible in court, but for some families (and occasionally, some detectives) psychic input can spark action or offer comfort when nothing else seems to work.

Of course, skeptics say it’s all guesswork and cold reading. And critics say these services can easily become predatory. One Twitter user relayed his experience when his daughter went missing:

But criticism of their craft hasn’t stopped psychics from getting involved – and, in a few cases, (seemingly) getting it right. Let’s explore some prominent cases where psychics claimed to influence the outcome. 

5 Notable Cases Where Psychics Got Involved

1. Frank St. James – Nicole Arochas (New Jersey)

In 1996, when 22‑year‑old Nicole Arochas disappeared after a night out, her family was desperate for answers. According to media accounts and episodes of Psychic Investigators, her parents turned to psychic Frank St. James for help when conventional leads went cold. 

St. James claimed to connect with Nicole’s spirit, which pointed him to a marshy area “close to home” – a description that aligned with where her body was eventually found. Whether coincidence or intuition, the case became one of the more cited examples of a psychic crossing over from the private to public sphere in an active missing person situation.

2. Phil Jordan – Tommy Kennedy (Tioga County, NY)

In 1975, after 5‑year‑old Tommy Kennedy vanished from his home in upstate New York, his family consulted psychic Phil Jordan. Jordan reportedly produced a hand‑drawn map based on visions or impressions, then guided searchers to a wooded area where the boy was found cold and exhausted, but alive.

The case has been passed around psychic detective lore as an example of “intuition leading to discovery,” though some law enforcement figures emphasize that official efforts were already combing similar areas.

3. Annette Martin – Dennis Prado (California)

California psychic Annette Martin has often been quoted in paranormal investigation circles for her involvement in the search for Dennis Prado in 1997. After police shared a map and photograph of the missing man with Martin, she marked a location she felt was significant – reportedly leading search teams directly to Prado’s remains. 

Martin’s work was later featured in media discussions about the role psychics sometimes play when traditional investigative methods stall, though official police statements in the case remain limited and sometimes contradictory.

4. Rosemarie Kerr – Andre Daigle (Louisiana)

Rosemarie Kerr is one of the more frequently cited names in psychic detective lore. Following the disappearance of Andre Daigle in Louisiana in 1987, family members employed Kerr and gave her a map of the area. Kerr reportedly told them that Daigle was dead and circled a spot on the map where they should look for his abandoned truck. 

Authorities did, in fact, recover Daigle’s body and vehicle in that general area days later. Kerr later became the first psychic to testify in a criminal trial. 

5. Allison DuBois – The Psychic Behind Medium

This one isn’t about a particular case, but many. Allison DuBois is perhaps the best‑known “psychic detective” in recent American culture, though not because of a specific crime – DuBois’s experiences reportedly inspired the hit TV series Medium starring Patricia Arquette. 

DuBois has assisted law enforcement in Arizona and Texas on numerous occasions, offering impressions of victims’ final moments or personal details that matched case files. These cases later became the basis for the television series. 

While some critics say the stories are more “Hollywood” than reality, there’s no doubt that DuBois helped popularize the idea that psychics can play a role in high-profile criminal investigations. 

Real Power or Powerful Scam?

Stories like these can be compelling, even chilling. But do psychics really help solve crimes?

That depends on whom you ask.

Many in law enforcement remain deeply skeptical. Police departments often go out of their way to clarify that they do not consult psychics as a matter of protocol. Others have accused psychics of exploiting vulnerable families for money or attention – offering vague “leads” that go nowhere, or worse, misdirect investigations.

Skeptics point out that many so-called successes are exaggerated in hindsight. If a psychic says a body will be found near “water,” and it’s later discovered near a drainage ditch, does that count? 

And yet… some families say psychic help brought them peace. A few detectives have admitted that intuitive hunches – however they arrive – can spark breakthroughs. When traditional methods fail, people are willing to look anywhere for answers.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever followed a case where a psychic got involved? Do you believe their powers are real?