THE VAMPIRE MURDERS
HOW TO SOLVE THE CASE. The Assignment Letter from the FBI states your goals for the case: determine the identity of the killer and uncover the motive for the murders. The letter also indicates that you should observe the following protocols during your investigation: (1) solve the case by developing the most likely theory that is supported by the evidence, (2) accept statements made by witnesses or other sources of information as accurate unless they are contradicted by other evidence, and (3) if an inconsistency arises during your investigation, be sure to check it against the other available evidence.
THE VICTIMS. The evidence shows that both victims, Sophia Brooks and Areum Ahn, were members of Forrest City’s “human vampire” community and were frequent patrons at the Sanctuary. All six suspects in the case were also connected with the Sanctuary.
THE TIMELINE. Establishing a timeline of events is a useful tool. Analyzing the evidence reveals that the body of Areum Ahn was found in Oglevie Park on May 15. On May 23 (and into the early morning of May 24), the following events occurred:
9:45 pm: Brooks arrives at the Sanctuary with Eva Brown;
10:10 pm: Photo taken of Sophia Brooks (as shown in Document Book);
11:10 pm: Brooks is seen going into a private room with Levi Prince and Eva Brown;
1:30 am - 1:40 am: Brooks is killed;
5:20 am: Brooks’ body is discovered by Miguel Rosa.
FEEDING ON HUMAN BLOOD. An article in the Examiner states that a small minority of human vampires believe they must feed on human blood. A medical condition called Renfield’s syndrome may explain this phenomenon because it causes a recurring and intense craving to drink blood. Some of the members of the human vampire community in Forrest City engaged in this practice:
Amanda Killion heard rumors that private rooms at the Sanctuary were used for ritualized bloodletting. Killion also believed that Brooks had participated.
Dr. Madeline Grimes treated Sophia Brooks one week before she was killed and observed fresh puncture wounds on her neck.
Mark Thorn told the FBI that Areum Ahn made herself available to be bled by those vampires in the community who fed on human blood and to whom she was attracted.
Ahn’s prior landlord also told the FBI that Ahn had a wound on her neck and bled on her pillow one day before she moved out (more than three months ago).
From this evidence, we must conclude that both Brooks and Grimes were allowing other members of the vampire community to drink their blood. In both cases, the killer either accidentally or deliberately went too far, causing puncture wounds with their fangs that killed both victims.
DNA ANALYSIS. The evidence confirms the same killer murdered both Sophia Brooks and Areum Ahn. DNA analysis of saliva recovered from the victims’ necks revealed that it was human saliva from one individual with XX chromosomes. Therefore, the evidence shows that the killer is female.
AN OUT-OF-TOWN TRIP. Jonas Friar told law enforcement he had concerns about the unusual behavior of Addison Renner because she “spoke with manic intensity about patrons of the Sanctuary who engaged in the practice of drinking human blood from the bodies of willing participants.” While this may seem to cast some suspicion on Renner, Friar also unknowingly provided her with an alibi. Friar and Renner attended a goth and vampire event called Rigor Mortis in Boston on the night of May 15. They had taken a three-day car trip to attend the event which was “three states away.” This evidence shows that Renner was not present in Forrest City on the night that Areum Ahn was killed. The murderer must be one of the other suspects.
AN AFFAIR AND AN ALIBI. Witness Gretchen Roberts stated that at 1:35 am on the night that Brooks was killed, she mistakenly opened the door to the Sanctuary’s office on the main floor and saw David Myers engaged in sexual activity with Shay Broadbent. She quickly shut the door and was not seen by either Myers or Broadbent. Since the evidence shows that Brooks was killed between 1:30 and 1:40 am, Shay Broadbent cannot be the killer.
A WITNESS AND TATTOOS. Witness John Vail saw Areum Ahn’s murder in Oglevie Park. In his interview with the FBI, Vail stated he could not tell if the killer was male or female (because they were wearing a hooded cloak). However, Vail confirmed that the killer did not have any tattoos on their arms. The FBI’s suspect profile for Caroline Wycliffe clearly shows that she has tattoos on her arms. These tattoos are also visible in the photo of Wycliffe in the newspaper advertisement for her tattoo parlor. Therefore, the killer must be one of the other suspects.
SOLVING THE CASE. Since the evidence shows that the killer is female, and Church was the only female suspect who had the opportunity to commit both murders, she must be the killer.
. . .
DID YOU KNOW?
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Although each of our murder mysteries can be solved independently without any knowledge of other mysteries, there are dark secrets and hidden connections that tie all of our monthly mysteries together.
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