August 18th, 2009
page one of two
Case file #1125, physical evidence from three murder scenes, similar in nature and thought to be related. Lack of physical evidence has lead Agent Wolley to request a profile from Dr. Carl Metzger, forensic psychologist, in the hopes of finding the crucial link between murders.
The bodies themselves, as Dr. Metzger was quick to point out, were handled the same way -- in fact, that is the only thing linking these murders, the precise method of death and details surrounding the corpses. All three victims were scalped, for lack of a better word. Discussion of this unusual cause of death, and Dr. Metzger's other findings, are detailed elsewhere.
The actual physical evidence found with the bodies is scant, no fingerprints, no blood, no skin samples. The area is so clean, in fact, that it may well have been scrubbed by the killers before they departed.
It is the footprints surrounding each body that both the forensics teams and Dr. Metzger were quick to hone in on. His report is as follows:
Though the physical evidence given suggests a group of perpetrators hunting down victims mercilessly, the style in which these killings are carried out suggests one perpetrator doing the killing and a group watching, perhaps egging this killer on, perhaps simply watching. Evidence indicates that there is indeed a central figure within the group of seven or eight calling the shots. This can be seen in the patterns of bloody footprints: several figures standing around, watching and then the killer, always barefoot or wearing sandals from the footprint outlines, same sized shoe, same pattern of walking. This perpetrator is graceful and light on his feet.
The rest of the people, probably wearing cheap athletic sneakers from the tread, stand around as he moves around them. In the few places where a complete shoe-print, there is nothing to indicate gender. Some are quite small, some are larger and a few are almost assuredly male due to size, however there is nothing conclusive. The tread on their shoes, as said above, is common -- it resembles every other cheap Walmart white sneaker.
As stated before, the patterning around the bodies suggests a kind of theater, for lack of a better word. Like old anatomy rooms, students watched while professors cut open bodies. However, lack of complete footprints from any of the crime scenes disallows any concrete conclusions. It could simply be that being barefoot, the central figure was more likely to make footprints and the rest, wearing regular shoes, possibly wiped their feet or even the floor.
It can be said with certainty that these murders were not committed alone: a group of from 4 to 8 people were present at each crime scene. At the most recent crime scene, a dozen different footprints were detected circling in the kitchen.
Analysis of the second victim, a dancer from San Diego, also suggests that these people were not in a hurry. Due to the distinctly clean areas of the floor around the body, it can be suggested, and proven through further chemical testing, that they had time to mop up after themselves. This of course, is unusual, given that these murders were very brutal and probably took time in and of themselves. It is therefore possible to conclude that the group stayed at this victim's home for some time before departing unseen, suggesting that they are confident, not panicked, in control.
In conclusion, whoever this group of people is, they're getting better at killing. The death of each subsequent victim becomes more polished, more professional, but at the same time less satisfying, as the killings grow closer and closer together in frequency. These things give us every indication that none of the deaths currently being investigated are our killer's first victim, and that there very well may be another body out there, his first murder.
As discussed elsewhere, if we can find that first body, we will understand the mind behind these atrocities.
Dr. Metzger is still analyzing all eight potential crime scenes, and intends to submit a full report shortly.
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