Company

Mark Gillespie is a Texas board-certified private investigator, board certified criminal defense investigator, forensic scientist, certified forensic death investigator and certified instructor for A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Program. He has been president/CEO of Gillespie Forensics and Investigations since 2004 and is licensed in Texas and Louisiana. Mark specializes in criminal defense investigations, death investigations, forensic science consultations, crime scene investigation, cold cases and missing person/human trafficking cases. He has a master’s degree in forensic science from George Washington University and spent a career as an Air Force officer and special agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). As a special agent he commanded investigative units in the US and overseas conducting and managing felony investigations that undermine the mission of the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense. After retiring from the Air Force, he served as the Forensic Science Director for the Austin Police Department from May 1996 – December 2002. In 2001, he introduced a forensic science course curriculum to St. Edwards University (SEU) and was a key architect of the development of SEU's undergraduate forensic science degree program. He also taught courses in forensic science, criminal investigation and crime scene investigation.

Mark is a past president and board member of the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI) and is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences as well as a number of other state and national private investigation and professional associations. Mark serves as an advisory board member for Saved in America that exists to assist law enforcement and parents to locate and recover missing and trafficked children.

​​

EDUCATION
Master of Forensic Sciences, The George Washington University

​

CERTIFICATIONS

• Board Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CDFI), Associates in Forensic Investigations, Denver, CO, 2024

• Equivocal Death and Serious Bodily Injury Investigations for the Professional Investigator, Associates in Forensic Investigations, Denver, CO, 2024​

• Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator, Criminal Defense Investigator Training Council (CDITC), 2020​

• Board Certified Forensic Science Investigator (CFSI), Criminal Defense Investigator Training Council (CDITC), 2020​

• Board Certified Forensic Testimonial Evidence Recovery (FTER) Specialist, Criminal Defense Investigator Training Council (CDITC), 2020​

• Certified Instructor, A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training Program, 2019​

• Certified Instructor, Concealed Carry/License to Carry Instructor, Texas Department of Public Safety, Austin, TX, 2000​

• Texas Board Certified Investigator, 2010​

• Certified by Texas Supreme Court to Serve Civil Process, 2010

​

LICENSING

• Texas and Louisiana (Current)

• Tennessee (Past)

• Alabama (Past)​

​

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), member

• Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction (ACSR), member

• American Association of Suicidology, member

• Texas Association of Licensed Investigator (TALI), School Director, member and pastPresident and board member

• INTELLENET, member

• National Council of Investigation & Security Services, member and past Director

• National Defense Investigator Association, member

• National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI), member

• Saved In America, Advisory Board Member

• National Association for Missing and Exploited Children (NAMEC), CEO and Co-Founder

• California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI), member

• Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI), member

• Louisiana Private Investigator’s Association (LPIA), member

• Alabama Private Investigator’s Association (APIA), member

• Council of Association Leaders (COAL), member

• Texas Process Server’s Association, past board member

• Association of Former OSI Special Agents, member

• Texas Division of the International Association for Identification, past member

• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, past member

• Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists, past member

• Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors’ Association, member and past board member

​

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

• Owner and Founder – Gillespie Forensics and Investigations, Leander, TX. May 2004 to Present. Professional forensic consultant and investigator. Specialize in
  forensic consultations, cold cases, criminal defense investigations, missing person and
  human trafficking investigations, and crime scene investigation and reconstruction.

​​

• Certified Trainer – A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training Program, July 2019

​​

• Capital Area Private Defender Service (CAPDS), Travis County (Austin), TX, April 2015 to Present. One of several court appointed criminal defense investigators for Travis County, Texas, handling all types of criminal defense assignments ranging from capital murder to DWI cases.

​​

• School Director, Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI), November 2017 to Present. Manages Continuing Education program for 500-member private investigation professional organization.

​​

• School Director, Texas Institute of Investigation, September 2016 to May 2020. Founded and managed school that provides training (forensic, investigation, personal defense, firearms, etc.) for private investigators, security professionals and non-investigative personnel.

​​

• Adjunct Professor, University of North Texas, Professional Development Institute (PDI), April 2014 to December 2017. Instructor in private investigation and management of private investigation companies.

​​

• Instructor of Forensic Science, St. Edwards University, Austin, TX, August 2002 to

       December 2008. Proposed and key architect of undergraduate Forensic
       Science Degree Program at St. Edwards University. Taught forensic science, crime
       scene investigation and criminal investigation courses.

​​

• Director, Forensic Science Division, Austin Police Department (APD), Austin, TX, May 1996 to December 2002.​

 

• Commander, Special Agent, and Staff Officer, U.S. Air Force Office of Special

        Investigations (AFOSI), June 1979 to July 1996.