THE HALLOWEEN MURDER
NEW EVIDENCE
As you contemplate the evidence in the case, your cell phone chimes with a new message. An additional interview is now available.
Once you have incorporated this new evidence into your analysis of the case, proceed below to review the solution to the mystery.
THE SOLUTION
HOW TO BEGIN
The Assignment Letter from the FBI provides your goals for the investigation of the murder of Lexi Myers: (1) determine the identity of the killer, and (2) uncover the motive for the murder.
To solve the case, be sure to follow the protocols for the investigation provided by the FBI: (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 true 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 MURDER WEAPON
The evidence reveals that the murder weapon was a vintage hammer found in Lancaster Manor and used by the catering staff as Halloween decor on a buffet table at the Halloween party. In his interview, Mario Barrett stated that he recalled seeing the hammer on the buffet table at 8:20 pm when a party guest asked him about it. At 8:40 pm, Barrett noticed that the hammer was missing. He did not see it again for the remainder of the party. The hammer was taken from the buffet table between 8:20 pm and 8:40 pm.
A FINANCIAL CRIME?
Ethan Hughes, a wealthy entrepreneur, was a substantial investor in VerTex. Grace Atwood was the Chief Financial Officer for that company. In her interview, Diane Foster stated that Hughes had suspicions that Grace Atwood was embezzling money from VerTex. This could give Hughes motive for murder. Not only might Atwood have been directly stealing funds form the company in which he had invested millions of dollars, if an embezzlement scheme was made public it might significantly damage the reputation of the company and further harm Hughes’ financial interests. Foster stated in her interview that Hughes was hiring a private investigator and a forensic accountant to look into the matter. Depending on what was found, Hughes might have motive to murder Grace Atwood.
However, the evidence reveals that Hughes is not the killer. In her interview, Stacy Rosenthal talked about an alleged paranormal event that occurred during the Halloween party the night Grace Atwood was murdered. Rosenthal stated that these events happened in the Game Room beginning “a few minutes past ten.” She said: “We were sitting on this little settee, and after a few minutes, I saw this shadow in the corner of the room. At first I didn’t think much of it. But after another couple minutes, it was like it formed into the shape of … a person? So freaky. I jumped up off of the settee. As soon as I did, it just vanished.” Rosenthal further revealed that Ethan Hughes was with her in the Game room during this time. Since the murder of Grace two occurred between 10:05 and 10:15 as indicated in the Autopsy Report, Ethan Hughes could not have killed her since he was in the Game Room with Stacy Rosenthal.
A SECRET UNCOVERED
Bethany Lancaster is the owner of the Lancaster Agency. A chat transcript in the evidence reveals that the victim, Grace Atwood, discovered that the Lancaster Agency was being operated at least in part as an escort agency. Atwood confronted Lancaster and the exchange between them was heated and ended with threatening language. Bethany Lancaster had potential motive to kill Grace Atwood. If Atwood revealed what she learned about the Lancaster Agency, Bethany Lancaster’s business and reputation could have been destroyed. Lancaster had motive to silence Atwood to prevent the truth about the agency from being revealed.
The evidence, however, also shows that Bethany Lancaster is not the murderer. In her interview, Lancaster revealed that just after 8:00 pm on the night of the Halloween party, she snuck upstairs to the second floor of Lancaster Manor which was off limits to guests. She became trapped in the master bedroom. The circumstances of this are mysterious and the evidence does not reveal whether someone intentionally locked Lancaster in the bedroom or it was a paranormal event that cannot be explained. But Lancaster confirmed that she was trapped in that bedroom on the second floor for almost an hour. The instructions in the Start Here guide state that the investigator must accept statements made by witnesses or other sources of information as true unless they are contradicted by other evidence. Therefore, Bethany Lancaster could not have been downstairs on the first floor when the murderer took the murder weapon, a vintage hammer, from the buffet as discussed above. Lancaster is not the killer.
A DECEASED BROTHER
Diane Foster had brother who was engaged to the victim, Grace Atwood. Shortly after their engagement, he died under mysterious circumstances. In the Julia Silver’s interview, she revealed that Foster suspected Grace Atwood “had something to do with” her brother’s death. This potentially provides movie for murder: to exact revenge for her brother’s death. But even though Diane Foster potentially had a motive for murder, the evidence conclusively establishes that she is not the killer. In her interview, Ashley Graves stated that one of the entertainment events during the Halloween party was an Edgar Allan Poe cocktail experience featuring dramatic readings from Poe’s works. This occurred in the South Hall from 8:15 until 8:45 pm. Diane Foster confirmed in her interview that she was the person who performed the dramatic readings during that event. Since she was in the South Hall during the time period that the murder weapon was taken from the buffet table in the Grand Foyer, she could not be the killer.
AN ILLICIT AFFAIR
Chloe Morgan, wife of Alex Morgan, had motive to murder Grace Atwood. The evidence reveals that Alex was having an affair with Grace. In his interview, John Friedman stated that Chloe told him she had discovered the affair. This provides a compelling motive for murder.
But Chloe Morgan was not the killer. Friedman also stated during his interview that just before the Edgar AllanPoe cocktail experience was scheduled to start, Chloe took Friedman to the Artifact Room where she revealed that uncovered the affair. They talked in the Artifact Room for about 30 minutes. Since the Poe cocktail experience started at 8:15 pm, the evidence demonstrates that Chloe Morgan was occupied in the Artifact room during the time period that the murder weapon was taken from the buffet in the Grand Foyer. She is not the killer.
THE KILLER IS ALEX MORGAN
Not only were Alex Morgan and Grace Atwood having at affair, Grace was also pregnant with his child. In her interview, reporter Julia Silver revealed that Alex and Chloe Morgan did not have a prenatal agreement. If Chloe discovered the affair (she did) and the pregnancy, Alex could have been facing financial ruin in a divorce. The evidence also revealed that Alex was intensely protective of his reputation and image. He had motive to eliminate the problem by eliminating Grace Atwood.
. . .
DID YOU KNOW?
Articles and advertisements in the newspaper often contain hints about future murder mysteries. It also includes references to people, places, and events important to Forrest City's continuing storylines.
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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