By Kristine Thomas
Silverton resident Lori Grimmer was in plain sight, sitting in her car as she watched a man put up the Christmas lights on his home.
The man even looked her way and waved, perhaps assuming she was just a local mom chatting on her phone.
Little did he know she was hired to film him.
“I was working with an attorney on a personal injury case and the man was supposed to be so injured that he was bed ridden,” she said.
The fact she’s 5-foot-3, flashes a warm and welcoming smile, has an air of complete confidence and can dress the part she needs to play has allowed her to obtain information others can’t get. She has built a reputation for being able to obtain confessions or admissions of guilt.
Grimmer is the owner of Grimmer Investigations, a private investigation company whose services include surveillance, skip tracing, serving legal documents, finding missing persons, interviewing witnesses and conducting research.
“I am a mom to a 3-year-old and 4-year-old by day and a private investigator by night,” Grimmer said.
She didn’t plan on a life of visiting prisons to interview criminals or blending in during a stake out.
Grimmer, 39, went to Western Oregon University to be a teacher.
“My senior year, I began working for a lawyer and one thing led to another from being a paralegal to working as legislative assistant for lobbyists to becoming certified as a private investigator,” she said. “I wanted a job that would allow me to travel.”
A licensed and bonded private investigator, Grimmer has worked on civil and criminal cases for attorneys in seven Oregon counties. She specializes in pre-trial investigations.
Admitting she’s an “adrenaline junkie,” Grimmer said she couldn’t imagine a job where she does basically the same thing day in and day out.
“I usually do my paperwork when the kids are home or at school and two nights a week do other work,” she said. “Every day is different. Every week is different.”
Her secret to securing information is treating the people she interviews with respect. She has learned a friendly and sincere smile and listening intently to the person makes the information flow freely in many cases.
“I think the fact that I am in no way intimidating allows me to relate to someone whether they are 12 or 60 years old,” Grimmer said. “I have done this long enough that I do my homework before I get myself into any situation.”
As an advocate she also can direct clients to attorneys who specialize in the legal help they are seeking.
Before becoming a mom, Grimmer said she was quite busy with work, especially in Portland. She scaled back on her case loads once her kids were born, but now is ready to take on more.
Her profession allows her to have a good balance of home and work, she said, adding she’s grateful to her family for helping care for her kids.
“Silverton has been good to me and my kids,” she said. “I am eager I am to give back and help Silverton.”
