Back in 2011 in York, Nebraska, two masked men wielding guns robbed a local Pizza Hut. Witnesses say that two men wearing masks over their faces entered the Pizza Hut at closing time, demanded that the employees leave their cell phones on the counter and remain in the bathroom while the thieves stole an undisclosed amount of money.

Local police have made an arrest in the case, but they only have one of the two men in custody. The accused, Jostine Hoit, a 23-year-old York resident, is about to go to trial based on the testimony of several peers, though no one has yet named the second gunman. There are problems with the case though, as pointed out by Hoit’s defense attorney; namely the five witnesses who are willing to testify that Hoit was elsewhere the night of the robbery, and too intoxicated to have committed the crime.

Hoit’s defense attorney, public defender Nancy Waldron, has requested permission from the presiding judge to hire a private detective to find out what really happened during the robbery. The judge approved this motion, and a private investigator is set to begin investigations immediately.

This motion is not an entirely unique one, as private investigators are often major players in trials.  Lawyers frequently employ private detectives to hunt down witnesses, find evidence, obtain statements, vet expert witnesses, and serve papers. And lawyers aren’t the only professionals who depend on the services of PIs, insurance companies also rely on private investigators to validate claims, investigate beneficiaries, and conduct subrosa surveillance for a variety of reasons.

Currently, Hoit is facing a 100-year sentence if he is found guilty, but the use of a private investigator may change the outcome of his trial.

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