EPISODE 8

CRIME 008

We got no time to continue our conversation because we are now hurrying to take a look at what happened just three blocks away from the crime scene we just got into. Michael went there first and the officer just informed me about it.

For some reason, even if it doesn’t concern Pahmares anymore, he decided to come and join me take a look at it. When we got there, he turned off his recorder and joined me to go inside.

When we got there, there are already some police officers wandering around the whole place. I looked around the whole apartment and I noticed that this apartment is owned by students. Judging by all the frames and books around the whole place, this is like a shared apartment of two students or three.

“It’s a suicide,” Michael said when I approached him. “There’s no need for us to investigate this,” he said and then tapped my shoulder. He went outside immediately after that.

“Suicide?” said Pahmares before he slowly walks inside to check the body of the victim. “It’s not a suicide, Detective Mayari,” he said so I had to follow him inside to check what he’s talking about.

Michael is good at analyzing things but I think he probably missed out on some things especially that Pahmares is claiming that it is not suicide.

Jessica, the crime scene analyst is busy taking pictures of the victim and that’s when I realized why Michael claimed that it is suicide.

The victim has some cuts on her wrist; she’s hanging on the ceiling. Most people that commit suicide either cut their wrist or hang themselves. That’s why Michael and the other officers immediately assumed that the cause of the victim’s death is due to suicide.

The murderer made it looks like a suicide.

The perfect murder, you may say. But not in my eyes, there are things that the murderer didn’t consider.

There are six basic steps we must consider when performing an investigation: assessing, observing, documenting, searching, collecting, and analyzing.

Michael is probably exhausted already that he didn’t pay much attention to this crime scene and just claim whatever possible reason that can be.

“This is a homicide,” I said and then went close to the body of the victim. Looking at how her skin is turning blue already, she’s already been killed for around 40 minutes already. She has some bruises on her skin as a sign that she tried to fight for her life.

I went to kneel on the floor and use my index finger to wipe the floor, and I was right when I saw the color of blood on my skin. It smells like blood, too, and the murderer probably wipes the blood in this part. Because the only blood that is left is on the spot where the victim is hanging, all the droplets of blood on that floor are from her wrist.

The murderer tried to clean some blood that’s probably from the victim’s blood, too, when the murderer pulled and drag her body so she could go and hang her. The murderer is probably thinking that it will be more suspicious if there is blood all over the place not knowing that it is one of the reasons why I think that this is a murder.

If it’s true that the victim was the one who cut her own wrist then there will be droplets of blood all over and not only on where she is hanging. The murderer could’ve at least let the blood all over because we could’ve assumed she struggled to go and hang herself instead of wiping it.

“Pahmares, I’ll go and call Michael. You are right; this is not just suicide but a homicide. Just stay here,” I turned my gaze on Pahmares, who is like me, busy scanning the whole place for some evidence that could help us solve this matter.

He looks at me and slowly nodded his head “Make sure to tell him immediately the things that you’ve found out or this case will be dismissed and considered as suicide. Let’s give justice to this young victim,” he smiled at me and I had to smile back at him before I nodded my head and went out from the victim’s room and search for Michael.

I saw him talking to a girl who’s crying. Looking at all the picture frames around this small apartment, she’s probably another student that lives here together with the victim. She looks exhausted as she sobs in front of Michael. She’s probably giving her statement because even though they already considered this as suicide, we still need to hear the statement from people that live in this apartment.

“Detective Michael,” I called his name, not minding if I’m interrupting their conversation. I just want them to start investigating this already. They probably think that it’s just a small case of suicide and not worth spending time on because there are a lot of crimes out there that we need to focus on aside from this.

But this is a homicide and I want them to know that.

“Detective Mayari,” he called me and looks at me with questions in his eyes as I walked closer to him.

“Start the investigation again, I’ll call the other investigators,” I said as I try to look around to find them.

“What? Why? It’s already case solved, Mayari. The friend of the victim here claimed that her friend is suffering from depression and that she committed suicide because she couldn’t handle it anymore.” Michael continued so I had to look at the girl who claimed that.

“The victim didn’t commit suicide but was murdered by someone,” I said

Michael’s forehead creases a bit and I saw the shock in the girl’s expression as I said that. They both looked confused and surprised by what I just said.

“The murderer’s intention is to make us think that the victim committed suicide just to hide the fact that this is actually a homicide.” I continued.

“W-what do you mean? That, someone, killed Denisse?” it’s my turn to look at the victim’s friend or roommate. So, the victim’s name is Denisse? I didn’t get to ask for more information about her because Michael immediately told me that it’s a suicide.

“Yes, and since you’re here with us already… can you please answer some questions and don’t leave while the investigation is ongoing?” I told her as I quickly took my notebook into my coat’s pocket.

She blinked her eyes twice before she slowly nodded her head to me as a yes. There’s still a hint of tears coming out from her eyes and seems like she’s been crying since earlier.

“What are you doing here and what is your connection with the victim?” it is already obvious that she lives with her but I still need to ask her that to make things sure.

“I am her best friend and we live together with our other best friend,” she said. Okay, so I am right when I said that there at least two or three-person who lives in this tiny apartment.

“Where’s the other person who lives here?” I continued to ask.

“She’s still at the university and I couldn’t contact her,” she paused “But I already sent her a message so she’ll probably come here once she read the message.” She said and sighed.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Patricia,” she said in a small voice

“Okay, Patricia. Where were you an hour ago?” I asked her before I looked around the whole place to see if there’s a CCTV camera in this apartment, and when I noticed that there is none, I sighed. Maybe I can ask the officers to check the CCTV footage they have in this street where they live. It could help us.

“I went to my parents’ house and I just got back here and found Denisse’s body, I immediately called 911 to report this. I was so scared,” then Patricia started crying again, covering her face with her palms. You could really feel the pain in her voice, and the way she cries right now is making my heart hurt.

“Can we have the number of your parents to support your claim?” I asked her and then Michael nodded to agree with what I just said.

“Yes, of course, this is their phone number…” then she took her phone from her pocket and then showed me her phone making me notice some bruises on her arms. She’s wearing a hoodie but since she lifted her arms, I saw the bruises on it.

“Thank you, I’ll just let one of my team to call them to confirm your alibi,” I said and she nodded at me. As if she really is sure that whatever she’s telling me is the truth.

“I’ll give the phone to Officer Bryan,” said Michael, and I had to thank him because of that. After he took the phone from me, I went back to ask Patricia about what happened.

“You told Detective Michael that Denisse is depressed that’s why you think she really committed suicide, how sure are you of that?” I guided her to the nearest sofa and made her sit there.

She sniffed first and wiped the tears on her face before she started telling me the reason why she claimed that the reason for her best friend’s suicide is due to depression.

“She’s always been crying and looking sad the past few months, probably because of her boyfriend. Her boyfriend’s been cheating on him with someone else. That’s why I wasn’t surprised anymore when I saw her hanging on the ceiling. I just thought that maybe she couldn’t handle it anymore. I just can’t imagine that someone killed my best friend because she is the nicest person that I’ve ever met.”

“Do you have her boyfriend’s contact so we could contact him, too? And Denisse’s parents too…” I asked.

“Denisse doesn’t have parents anymore and she works part-time. That’s another reason why I think she’s kind of depressed. Are you really sure someone killed her? Because I can’t really think of a reason why someone wants to kill her?” she asked, looking scared for some reason.

“Yes, there is some evidence lying in her room and I just need some statements of people that Denisse knew to find out who killed her,” I said.

“Oh, okay… I don’t have her boyfriend’s number but I think if Brianna read my message, she will immediately inform him and they’ll come here together.” She said and I nodded at her.

I continued to ask her questions and she has answers to all of them. Her alibis were also confirmed because her parents said that she really came to spend the night with them.

“While we wait for your friends, here’s water to calm you down.” I handed her bottled water and she immediately accepted it. “We will take your mobile phone first while we’re investigating. I hope you’d understand that.

“It’s okay, Detective. Whatever you think will help this case and give justice to my best friend’s death, I’m willing to do everything.” She said and gave me a wry smile so I just nodded my head and went back inside the victim’s room to check for some evidence.

I saw the crime scene analyst taking pictures of every detail she thinks could help us with this crime.

That’s when I realized that I left Pahmares here and told him to stay. When I looked around, I saw him checking some things, too. He is probably investigating, too. That reminded me that he also used to be a Detective before he changed his career.

“What did you find?” I asked him when I get to come near him.

He raised his head to look at me before he showed me a phone and said “This is the victim’s phone.”