Retired Senior Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, has been called the best of the best in interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects, and as an interviewing instructor. Until recently, this interview training was only available to select criminal investigators, intelligence officers and military intelligence.
Researchers in psychotherapy call her the ultimate lie detector. The title of “Truth Wizard” was bestowed upon her by researchers as she can accurately detect deception over 80% of the time in all three areas of deception.
Agent Daugherty began her 24-year career at ATF with the Arson and Explosive group. Later she worked as an undercover agent for ten years infiltrating the most violent and dangerous criminal organizations in Texas: including the Jamaican Posse street gang; Chinese organized crime; Mexican Mafia; Bandito motorcycle gang; street gangs involved in violent home invasions, etc. An 18-month undercover investigation, where Agent Daugherty personally purchased weapons and narcotics, resulted in 140 felony convictions involving members of the Texas Syndicate. She was honored by the 100 Club of Houston as "Officer of the Year" for the Gulf Coast region of Texas.
After being involved in the one of the largest gun battles in U.S. law enforcement history, she became a negotiator attached to a Federal Special Response Team.
Mary became an internationally renowned instructor with the Institute of Analytic Interviewing, Inc. (IAI), training the trainers for government agencies in the U.S. and abroad. As the lead instructor with IAI, Mary worked with Dr. Paul Ekman, Dr. Mark Frank, Dr. Maureen O’Sullivan and Dr. Ed Geiselman learning and applying the latest and most advanced scientific research available in interviewing techniques.
In addition to her case load, she instructed Interviewing and Undercover School for ATF for 20 years at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, GA. As a certified instructor for the Department of the Treasury and Department of Justice, Mary has instructed thousands of Law Enforcement officers/agents at numerous conferences and training programs.
Senior Special Agent Daugherty finished her career as an ATF Intelligence Officer assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The remainder of her biography is still classified top secret by the U.S. Government.