Outrageous story about a legendary private eye with hooks for hands and the hunt for an American killer in Thailand

I’m very pleased to see my latest story for Narratively go live, and that’s because it is definitely a wild ride. Living in El Paso, I befriended a legendary private eye named Jay J. Armes, who recently turned 88 years old. He lost both of his hands in a childhood accident but used the metal prostheses that replaced them to his advantage as a world-famous private eye and head of The Investigators, his detective agency.

Armes has now been in the business for more than 60 years, and his career has been nothing but astonishing adventures. He has investigated all over the world, tracking down criminals, rescuing hostages, and retrieving jewels. The story for Narratively chronicles how he and his son tracked down an alleged American murderer in Thailand and how they convinced him to come back to the US. But it also takes a look at the life and times of Jay J. Armes and his son’s experience photographing bodies and infiltrating institutions when he was just a kid.

This story is adapted from my updated book about Armes and barely scratches the surface of just how incredible his life has been. Armes not only has an action figure in his honor but also has a storied career as an El Paso politician, where he put his uncompromising drive to work for his fellow El Pasoans.

At any rate, read on! If this is of interest, my should be forthcoming at some point. And if you need a private eye, definitely reach out to the Investigators. They aren’t cheap, but they are legendary.