The Junior Rangers Investigative Club

Perhaps it’s not too surprising that we manage to stumble into so many mysteries. After all, National Parks and Monuments are full of the wonderful, the historical, the odd and the fantastic. Or maybe it has more to do with our members penchant for seeking out trouble, their desire to help, and an insatiable love of secrets. Whatever the reason, wherever the problem, you can rest in the knowledge that we will be on the Case! <— get it? :)

  • Everyone and anyone who is currently investigating any problem in any national park, anywhere. Even if their parents don’t know it.

  • Sometimes we run into new friends. Sometimes old members get old and go off to college. Sometimes members can’t sign the membership book on account of having paws and claws instead of hands.

  • Parents, Friends, Rangers, Helpers, People we may or may not be investigating.

Current Team

Justin Case

Justin Case

Born in a snowstorm in Arizona, raised in National Parks by his two park ranger parents. Justin loves mysteries, birds, and little ‘c’ cases. If two of those seem redundant, it’s because he needs more hobbies. Fortunately, he surrounds himself with interesting friends.

Stats

  • Oldest current member

  • Longest current member alongside Lucy

  • Most Birds sighted of any member *

  • Most last minute saves.

  • Favorite Case: The one he is investigating.

  • Least favorite case: That one with the rivers.

  • Favorite Park: Crater Lake

    * (Disputed by Cassidy Case)

Family and other

Cassidy Case is his sister. They share parentage from Abby and Mitchel Case. Currently lives with his family in Biscayne National Park, Florida. But is often visiting friends in parks across the country.

Some say he has a deep, dark hold on his family, because no matter how much trouble he lands in with the Junior Rangers Investigative Club, he is never in trouble. Most who know the Case’s recognize that the entire family is Mystery obessed.

Lucia Benitez

(Lucy)

Born in the Atlanta Airport while her mother was flying home from her most recent excavation, Lucy began as and remains the most well-traveled member of J.R.I.C. She is strong, smart, and not particularly fond of people she doesn’t know. However, one she gets to know you, you couldn’t have a stauncher defender.

Stats

  • Second oldest current member

  • Longest current member alongside Justin

  • Most Miles Swam, run, and climbed *

  • Favorite Case: None

  • Least favorite case: That one in Arizona, (the other one)

  • Favorite Park: Dry Tortugas

    * (Can you even climb a mile?)

Family and other

Miguel is her older brother. Her father, Gabriel Benitez is Chief Ranger for Dry Tortugas National Park. Her mom is a world-famous archeologist whose many exploits are too numerous to expound upon here.

One could almost say, knowing her beginnings, that Lucy started on the move, and hasn’t stopped. One has been punched for saying this. (It was her brother) She never claims to be that interested in the mysteries, but she always jumps right into the action.

Rudy Sheer

Born in a hospital, like a normal person. Why does it matter anyway? More importantly, did you know that Rudy has single handedly, with the help of his friends, discovered more treasure than anyone else alive in the United States? Some may say half of it was imaginary, and another half of it got away with the bad guys, but that would ruin his usual smile.

Stats

  • Youngest* current member

  • Most enthusiastic member

  • Can bake and cook.

  • Can’t make good coffee, can’t tell the difference between good and bad coffee.

  • Favorite Case: Any involving treasure, but most probably the one in Biscayne.

  • Least favorite case: That one in Arizona, (the one--you know)

  • Favorite Park: Dry Tortugas

    * (for now)

Family and other

He lives with his mother Elfie Scheer in Biscayne National Park. His dad works in Gettysburg National Park. He has a half-sister and a half-brother both more than twice his age. His Uncle Scheer works in White Sands National Park.

If it hadn’t been for a two-month special assignment, his mother never would have met the Case’s, and he wouldn’t be part of the team. Now it’s hard to think of J.R.I.C. without him, searching for treasure, talking about treasure, and sometimes: other things.

Bethany Caulfield

(don’t call her ‘Beth’)

A heavy reader. A heavy sleeper. A light personality. Bethany once read 300 books in a year—novel length books. Since then she’s stopped counting. Because of that and because she’s always down for research, she’s a strong intelligence asset for the team. Just don’t let her out in the heat for too long. (She’ll melt)

Stats

  • Might actually be the oldest (current) member but would never say anything about it.

  • Our lead researcher.

  • Stronger than she looks. (Lucy’s always testing her)

  • Favorite Temperature Range Between freezing and 50* Fahrenheit

  • Favorite Case: Secret

  • Least favorite case: Hot ones.

  • Favorite Park: Mammoth Cave. Mammoth Cave. Mammoth Cave.*

    * (for now)

Family and other

She lives with her brother. They recently moved to Everglades National Park to spend more time with her best friend, and for Ric’s promotion.

There’s an air of mystery about her when she’s reading. Is she dreaming of far off worlds? Is she imagining herself heroine of a fantastic adventure? Can you sneak by without her accosting you with her rich knowledge of Geology, Dinosaurs, and all things rock?

Amelia Zhang

(Zhang Anmei)

Fashion on point. Observation skills maxed. Inspired by her maternal grandfather, who was a journalist in Hong Kong for twenty years, Amelia has decided to document the exploits of the Junior Rangers Investigative Club—both the cases she’s helped solve and those she missed out on. She seeks to prove there’s no education better than experience. (I’ve literally studied history with a world-famous archeologist mom! My name is on academic journals!)

You can read more of her work at J.R.I.C. Mysteries.com.

Stats

  • Mos observant team member.

  • Luckiest team member.

  • Keeps the JRIC website.

  • Once found a dinosaur fossil, with Bethany. (they didn’t name it after us)

  • Favorite Case: The next one.

  • Least favorite case: The ones she misses, and will miss if her mom makes her go to "Real School”

  • Favorite Park: Everglades or Arches or Monument Valley or Denali or …

Family and other

Amelia is the best and only daughter of the Everglades Park Superintendent and his tech-savvy whip smart computer programmer wife. (She knows her parents read everything she puts online, and wants to remind them to raise her allowance, or at least not ground her after the most recent adventure.)

Is a mystery really solved if no one is there to document the clues? Who are you going to call when you need to choose between two similar looking suspects? Can everyone please stop borrowing my technology?

Honorary and Past Members

  • Cassidy Case

    Justin Case’s older sister. She is a founding member of J.R.I.C. and once led the group with a nose for the next adventure. She was prone to picking suspects early and often being wrong. (Something she admits now.) Having recently entered college, she’s stepped back from J.R.I.C. Out of fear of Dr. Carmen Benitez, she refuses to declare her major. (it’s not archeology)

  • Mattie Jackson

    Another founding member of J.R.I.C. She was there for the first case, and almost every case until it was time for her to go off to college. Her presence on the team is sorely missed, because she was the only one of us with practical engineering and science skills. Fortunately she is always around for a consult. Unfortunately, she wants her brother to take her place on the team.

  • Miguel Benitez

    Lucy’s older brother. He was a founding member of J.R.I.C. but doesn’t seem super enthusiastic about it these days. Maybe that’s because we make him drag us everywhere. It’s not our fault he’s the only member around old enough to have a driver’s and boat license.

  • Luke and Nina Manning

    Twins who live aboard a sailboat with their parents. They are around to help, but mostly with maritime mysteries, and only if the wind has blown them in the right direction. (this is a joke, Justin’s informed me their boat has a motor.)

  • Spud Manning

    A Golden-Doodle J.R.I.C. met on one of their water adventures. Avid clue hunter, always accompanied by the twins.

  • More to come,

    We cross paths with lots of awesome people on our mysteries. I’ll fill out this list as appropriate.

Everyone Else

  • Abby and Mitchel Case- Rangers and Parents of Justin and Cassidy.

    Dr. Carmen Benitez- Lucy and Miguel’s mom. An archeologist.

    Gabriel Benitez- Lucy and Miguel’s dad, a Ranger.

    Elfie Scheer- Rudy’s mom. a ranger.

    Eric (Ric) Caulfield - Bethany’s brother, a ranger.

    Anthony Zhang - Amelia’s dad. Ranger.

    Bei (sometimes Betty) Zhang- Amelia’s mom. A computer programmer.

    The Jacksons- Mattie’s family, formerly from Mammoth Cave, now in Washington D.C.

  • Dry Tortugas - Wendy Carter, Trevor O’Donnel.

    Biscayne - Tamara Holowesko, and Terri Baker

    Mammoth Cave - Lorie Miller

  • The Underwaters Research Submerged Archeology Team. (U.R.S.A.) -aka Dive Bears. A team of scuba-diving archeologist J.R.I.C. has run into a couple of times.

    The Spector Detectors - A team of paranormal researchers who are out to find ghosts.

    Trident- A maritime company with lots of big boats.

All information on this page was submitted by Amelia Zhang and is subject of her perspective. Take it with a grain of salt.