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Investigator Jim Rathmann’s background reads like the backstory for a detective novel’s protagonist. As a decorated veteran of the Army and law enforcement who went on to protect several U.S. Presidents as a member of the Secret Service, Rathmann has the necessary experience to be a hard-boiled detective in the vein of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch. However, Rathmann has currently chosen a different avenue for his investigative skills: podcasts and television.
True crime enthusiasts may have seen Rathmann in the Investigation Discovery documentary Joe Exotic: Tigers, Lies & Cover Up. Fresh off the buzz created by Netflix’s Tiger King, Rathmann unearthed several startling details related to Joe Exotic’s case. After discovering phone conversations casting doubt on some witnesses’ testimony in the case, Rathmann was able to uncover material that was eventually used by Joe Exotic’s attorneys as they worked on requesting a pardon for the eccentric exotic pet owner and media personality.
Several years ago, Rathmann also hosted the true crime podcast Real Life, Real Crime. While the podcast initially served as a vehicle to share true stories from his time as a deputy in Livingston Parish, it soon became a chronicle for Rathmann’s investigation into a 14-year-old cold case homicide. After gathering evidence and following the clues, Rathmann’s efforts yielded real results after the suspect was arrested and convicted for second-degree murder. The podcast has since discussed and analyzed evidence in several other unsolved mysteries, becoming a mainstay in avid true crime podcast listeners’ playlists.
Rathmann has also extended his involvement in unsolved mysteries beyond the realm of media and into the realm of everyday life. In addition to his documented investigative work in his podcast, he also works as an investigative consultant, helping individuals, families, and organizations whose lives have been affected by cold cases on a smaller scale. By helping them find answers, he hopes to provide his clients with much-needed closure. Although he is no longer an active member of any law enforcement organizations, he also continues aiding law enforcement agencies as a consultant.
Rathmann’s work has led to multiple appearances as a featured expert in television news programs such as Inside Edition and the TV show Under The Radar – Secrets of a Swedish Serial Killer. He continues to pursue work in the television sector, serving as an investigator for true crime documentaries and hiring out his services as a correspondent. Despite his passion for working in TV, he is forthcoming about the challenges of being in the industry.
“The television industry is a hard industry to be in, as you never know when you will get on a TV show or not,” he said. “Most television careers started at a young age, and I entered the industry at 40 years old. I overcame this by trying anyway and believing in myself and my abilities to succeed and just make it happen.”
Despite the daunting nature of being in the television industry, Rathmann is no stranger to overcoming challenges in his life. As a member of the national championship-winning LSU Tigers in 2003, Rathmann managed to win at the highest level of college football competition with the help of head coach Nick Saban. While serving in the army, he also survived 9 years of active duty in Afghanistan, receiving a Bronze Star for his actions while in combat. As part of the United States Secret Service, he also performed one of the most high-pressure bodyguarding jobs in the world, guarding U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, along with several other presidential candidates and VIPs.
While a career in television may pale in comparison to the high-stress environments he has endured in the past, Rathmann has deemed it a worthy challenge for a man with his background and experiences. Through it all, he keeps a sense of humor and joy about his new chosen profession. “I may not be the youngest guy on television, but I still look young, am in great shape, and am not 70 years old with one foot in the grave,” he quips.
