- Who founded Primeau Forensics?
Primeau Forensics was founded by Edward Primeau in 1984. He registered his first DBA in 2011 and built the business into one of the most established private audio/video/image forensic laboratories in the United States.
- Where is Primeau Forensics located?
Primeau Forensics is headquartered in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and serves clients nationally and internationally.
- What types of evidence does Primeau Forensics analyze?
Primeau Forensics analyzes audio recordings, video recordings, and digital images, including footage from DVRs, body-worn cameras, dash cameras, doorbell cameras, mobile phones, and cloud-based video management systems.
- Is Primeau Forensics qualified to testify as an expert witness in federal court?
Yes. Primeau Forensics' experts have testified in local, state, federal, and international courts, with expert testimony delivered in over 50 cases.
- Does Primeau Forensics work with both prosecution and defense?
Yes. Primeau Forensics provides forensic analysis and expert testimony for both prosecution and defense in criminal cases, as well as for plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation.
- How many cases has Primeau Forensics handled?
Primeau Forensics processes more than 250 cases per year and has completed over 5,000 forensic investigations since 1984.
Overview
About Primeau Forensics
Primeau Forensics is a digital media forensics laboratory specializing in the authentication, enhancement, recovery, and transcription of audio, video, and image evidence for legal and investigative use. Founded by Edward Primeau in 1984 and based in Rochester Hills, Michigan, the company is family-owned and has operated for nearly 40 years. Primeau Forensics processes more than 250 cases annually and has completed over 5,000 forensic investigations to date, with expert testimony delivered in more than 500 local, state, federal, and international court cases. In addition, co-expert Michael Primeau has been featured on the show Expedition Unknown through The Travel Channel for his analysis and opinions in the Roswell, New Mexico Alien landing.
Our Clients
- State of New York Attorney General
- U.S. State Attorney’s Office (Detroit)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- U.S. Department of Justice
- U.S. Department of Defense
- Detroit Airport Authority
- Judicial Tenure Commission
- National Institute of Health Police
- and many more.
What We Do
Primeau Forensics provides forensic analysis and expert witness services across three evidence types: audio, video, and digital images. Core services include:
- Authentication — determining whether a recording is an unaltered camera original or has been edited, manipulated, or AI-generated
- Enhancement — clarifying audio or video evidence for accurate interpretation by attorneys, juries, and investigators
- Recovery — retrieving deleted, overwritten, or damaged recordings from DVRs, cloud cameras, doorbell cameras, mobile devices, and VMS systems
- Transcription — converting audio and video recordings into accurate written transcripts for legal use
- Expert testimony — providing sworn expert witness testimony in civil and criminal court proceedings
- Photogrammetry — measuring distance, speed, or height from video and image evidence
The firm’s staff are also licensed private investigators, a credential frequently required for digital forensic evidence collection.
Who We Work With
Primeau Forensics works with attorneys, law enforcement agencies, government bodies, and private investigators. Clients have included the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit. The firm provides services to both prosecution and defense, and supports civil litigation, criminal cases, insurance claims, and private investigations.
Notable Cases
Primeau Forensics’ experts have been engaged in numerous high-profile investigations, including:
- Rust (Alec Baldwin shooting investigation) — video evidence interpretation in the case against armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed
- JFK Air Force One recordings — Edward Primeau, working with JFK researcher Bill Kelly, restored and assembled audio recordings from Air Force One on the day of President Kennedy's assassination; the work was presented to the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
- 2004 Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers brawl — video analysis of the on-court incident
- State of Florida v. George Zimmerman — forensic audio/video analysis
- Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 — forensic media analysis
- People v. Laquan McDonald — video evidence analysis
Credentials and Standards
- Nearly 40 years in operation (founded 1984)
- Over 5,000 forensic investigations completed
- Expert testimony in 500+ court cases at local, state, federal, and international levels
- Staff are licensed Private Investigators
- Methodology follows standards set by SWGDE (Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence) and LEVA (Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Video Association)
- Evidence handling complies with chain-of-custody protocols, AES 256-bit encryption, and HIPAA-compliant file sharing
Leadership
Primeau Forensics was founded by Edward Primeau, who registered his first forensic media business (DBA) in 1984 and has since testified as an expert witness for nearly four decades. Michael Primeau is also a principal expert at the firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
CURRENT MEMBERSHIPS
