The character started his life well, with a doctotate in criminal physcology at harvard university after which he decided to join the FBI, and completed training.  After a few stints working along side the DEA on drug busts, he was transfered to a field office in Minessota, which was quiet and consisted of working against the policlub and organised crime.

His big break came when he was offered the oppotunity to return to criminal physcology in washington, to a team that had been formed to target a spate of copycat style burtal valentines day murders.

He was credited with the eventual aprehension and capture of the 4 serial killers. 

his input into the investigation was rewarded with a american civilian service medal and he became a minor celebrity for a short time while the trial whent ahead.

it was 6 months later that the success story had a bitter twist.

He was diagnosed terminally ill with an inoperable brain tumor the size of a tennisball, that 
could be fatal in 18months, perhaps
less, perhaps more,

everything changed.  he failed to see the point of tidiness and efficency (for which he was well known), for thrift and putting money away in investments and pension funds. the pointlessness of his life up to that point (as he saw it) made everything start to unravel.

Then a shooting two weeks hence in a expensive bar in which a university friend was gunned down with his family mindlessly by a shadowrunner/terrorist.  
 
This event, coming so soon after the diagnosis gave him a cause to follow in the 18 months or so he had left.  He immidiately requested to transfer from serial killer psycoanalysis in the FBI to the  investigation of 'shadowrunners'

The transfer went ahead swiftly following the pubilc outcry at the excesses of the 'runners' that had been getting out of hand in this , the election year.  

With his reputation allready established following the successful valentines day investigation, 
he was transfered into the seattle FBI office onto the 'runner' desk, where he has been given a  free reign to operate against homocidal shadrowrunners - albiet with a lack of resources.