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VICTIM PROFILE
Name: Maria Todd
Age: 21
Personality & Background: The victim comes from old money up-state. Her family is rich and conservative, regularly attends church. According to the statement of Lisa Daniels (so called ex-best friend), the church’s pastor is devout and Maria might be part of a group. She also may have attended few religious healings (Ms. Daniels states that the religious healings were more like an indoctrination event). During the time the victim and Ms. Daniels were close, presumably in high school, she was described as your average teenager, gets good grades and parties occasionally. Ms. Daniels describe her as responsible and a social butterfly. After their falling out, which was due to the victim trying to convert Ms. Daniels (Ms. Daniels also stated that Maria might have been brainwashed by the pastor), negative rumors started circulating regarding the victim. According to the statement of Lilith Adams (believe to be a regular in the Universities party scene), Maria was a party animal which bare a stark contrast to Ms. Daniels statement. One can say that responsible doesn’t describe Maria.
Note: The victim was taking up a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts.
CRIME SCENE REPORT
The body was found in an alley between two campus buildings by a janitor named Herman Reese. According to the statement of Herman Reese, he seen or heard nothing prior to the discovery (requires further elaboration). The responding officers were Richard Harmsworth, badge #22205 – unit #6, and Sam Peters, badge #60465 – unit #6. They followed standard procedure when securing the scene (requires further elaboration). The alley way was wide enough for a vehicle to pass through but tight enough for a driver to prefer the longer way around. The body was found at the center of the alley way, near where the dumpster were located. No personal items were found within the vicinity of the body. There was a small pool of blood under the victim. The Universities staff were kind enough to identify the body as Maria Todd. The body was transported to Pathology before I arrived.
Forensics’ preliminary report states that the crime scene was relatively clean despite its location. No trace evidences and only the finger prints of the janitor and responding officers were found. There were however few noteworthy aspects. 1) The victim’s hair showed signs of bleaching and dying. The dying process seems to halt mid-way. 2) The victim was found clothed but stain and fold patterns suggest the murderer either change or clothed the victim post mortem. 3) Liver mortis suggests that the victim died within two days from the body was found (see Autopsy & Lab Report for further details). 4) There were no noteworthy marks in the victim’s body asides from a stab wound on her abdomen, just above the naval. According to the pathologies at the scene, the wound was deep enough to severe the spin nerves of the victim, causing paralyses and in addition, she would have bled more profusely than what the scene entails (see Autopsy & Lab Report for further details). This led me to concluded that the victim was murdered elsewhere and was ‘dumped’ in the alley way.
After examining the crime scene, I began canvasing the area. My partner, Tomias van der Westhuizen was running late and the area was too large for me to canvas alone so I requested assistance from the available officers at hand, Richard Harmsworth and Sam Peters. We gathered statements from multiple individuals and listed down possible persons of interest.
AUTOPSY & LAB REPORT
Cause of Death: Asphyxiation due to a tear on the diaphragm. Notes: No other visible injuries found on the victim’s body. Base on wound analyses, the victim was stab twice, first with a smaller blade and then a longer blade. The initial stab tear her diaphragm and severed the nerves on her spine, causing paralyses. She was then stab again post mortem on the same location.
Time of Death: Inconclusive, somewhere between 48 hours to when the body was found. State of the body Indicates that she was held in a hot and humid location prior to discovery.
Toxicology: Various Street and Prescription Drugs.
Other Observations: 1) The victim’s hair shows signs of bleaching and dying. The dying process is incomplete and only half of her hair was done. 2) No DNA evidence gathered under the victim’s finger nails or anywhere else on her body.
