Former FBI agent reveals biggest mistake in Unknown Number: The High School Catfish case

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Michael Greer, formerly an FBI special agent in cybersecurity, offered his professional insights regarding the Unknown Number: The High School Catfish case, highlighting the most significant error committed during Kendra Licari’s investigation.

The recently released documentary has triggered an active debate ever since it was added to Netflix a month ago, primarily focusing on the extraordinary cyberbullying incident that occurred in Beal City, Michigan, back in October 2020.

In a shocking turn of events, the peaceful tranquility of the town was disrupted when 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her then-boyfriend, Owen McKenney, started receiving abusive messages that targeted their relationship. As time passed, these messages turned increasingly vicious, encompassing a range of behaviors from crude sexual harassment to encouraging suicidal thoughts.

For approximately 22 months, the situation would intermittently persist, until ultimately, the FBI managed to trace the IP address to an unforeseen culprit: Lauryn’s mother, Kendra Licari. It is plausible that the case could have been resolved earlier if a different approach had been taken in the investigation.

The biggest mistake in Kendra Licari investigation

At first, the inquiry primarily targeted Lauryn’s classmates at school, but Greer, the former Deputy Homeland Security Chief, thinks this was a mistake. In conversation on the Reality Life with Kate Casey podcast, he suggested that Lauryn’s parents should have been considered as potential suspects first.

It turns out that Kendra, not Shawn Licari, was responsible for the crimes. However, several students, among them Khloe Wilson, were initially suspected and interrogated prior to this revelation.

When asked if anything notable came up during the investigation, Greer stated, “In cases involving teenagers, it’s usually their instinct to believe that such activities are just a result of friendships or rivalries formed at school.

As a gamer, I realized that if they managed to sneak their way back into my mom’s digital device, it suggests she might not be too tech-savvy when it comes to online threats. However, once law enforcement stepped in and followed the due process, they pinpointed the origin of these intrusions with ease.

In due time, the matter turned out to be less complex when they started to concentrate their efforts on examining the specific communications and IP addresses, and initiated the necessary legal procedures.

He went on to say, “It seems like a prejudice when authorities and parents routinely presume that teenagers are at fault, and I may sometimes fall into this biased way of thinking too.

It seems odd to me they didn’t initially eliminate the possibility that the activity was originating from the parents. A straightforward approach would be to swiftly eliminate them as potential sources by checking their IP addresses and verifying if the activity isn’t being carried out within their home.

Greer conceded that “hindsight makes everything clear, like perfect vision,” yet he suggested that investigators could have “simply removed some obvious suspects by focusing on those within the household.

When investigating a crime scene involving a spouse who has been harmed or deceased, the initial suspect often is the spouse, isn’t it?” He explained. “In such cases, the immediate focus is usually on the home environment as those closest to the victim are typically the most likely perpetrators.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish case could change future investigations

Greer believes that cases such as these may set a precedent for how they’re handled in the future.

He mentioned that if similar situations to the one being discussed continue and more cases like it arise, law enforcement may adopt this method as a regular approach, primarily focusing on the family involved first rather than examining countless other children in an attempt to solve the issue.

To conclude, Greer outlined steps one can take to avoid finding themselves in a similar predicament. Initially, he advises visiting the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) website, where you can access tutorials, videos, and guides on safeguarding your personal devices.

By spending a few minutes to strengthen your online environment, you can significantly reduce incidents of fraudulent activities, harassment, and similar issues,” he explained.

If you or your child start getting text messages like the ones Lauryn got, Greer advises that you should save all of these messages first, and then show them to the school safety officer if one is accessible at your school.

It’s important to take action when issues arise, even if solving them isn’t immediately straightforward. If a School Resource Officer speaking to the student about their behavior doesn’t resolve the issue, then at least the problem is acknowledged and authorities like local law enforcement can be brought in if necessary.

If you ever require assistance from the FBI, they can get involved. This could potentially open up numerous opportunities for you. However, it’s important to follow proper procedures by initially approaching the School Resource Officer (SRO) and parents first.

Title Unknown: Currently, “The High School Catfish” is available for streaming on Netflix. For further insight into Kendra Licari’s intentions, as well as recommended shocking documentaries on Netflix, you can delve deeper into the content.

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2025-09-11 14:51