3
$\begingroup$

There had been a murder at the ruins of an old house recently on July 6, 2018. This house was abandoned and it is said that there have been multiple murders involving the strange house ever since it was burnt to ruins in 1985.

The victim was identified as 44 yr old Nelson Hunter, who was a detective investigating the 20 or so murders that were associated with this house's ruins. These murders were thought to have been committed by the same person, since fingerprinting units always showed the same prints on each of the 20 other victims. However, it took a while as the fingerprints weren't recorded in any criminal profile.

When you enter the manor, it seems as though the 8 foot doorway frame was manually disturbed after the fire and it slid to the right. The way you can tell this is that the door frame was said to be intact after the fire. But you can easily see the hole where the wood was in the home's original format.

In the parlor, the big thing you notice is a strange lump on an armchair that partially survived the flames in 1985. There was something sewn under the armchair's cushion. Since you don't have much cutting tools and the work of sewing is strong but sloppily done, you take a slight peek. There seems to be a link of some sort, but that's all that can be made out.

In the overcooked kitchen, you notice a vitreous shine within some rubble near the oven. Upon closer inspection, it seems to be a piece of quartz. You conclude this because unlike glass, there is a crystalline structure.

Up the stairs, in the bedroom, you find a suitcase under the bed that seems to have been manufactured or at least bought sometime around 2013 if the travel tag left on it says anything. When you open the suitcase, you notice a bunch of travel brochures to places such as Paris and Milan. A loupe is also seen inside one of the pockets

After you investigate the house, you go to the police force that Hunter worked for, which just so happens to be Interpol. They give you a list of 3 suspects.

Suspect #1: Emily Trevors
Age: 21 years old
Profession: Fashion Designer
Medical History: Has chronic arthritis

Suspect #2: Tyler Cameron
Age: 57 years old
Profession: Jeweler
Medical History: None

Suspect #3: Sasha Swanson
Age: 36 years old
Profession: Cashier
Medical History: None

Looking through the suspects, something doesn't seem to add up. However, by removing one detail that wasn't as important as you thought, you were easily able to find the killer.

Who was the killer and what was the red herring?

$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ I hope to do more of this sort of thing aside from the casual riddles and I realize that there is probably many things I can improve on. If so, can you nicely say what I can do to get better at these whodunnits? Thank you. $\endgroup$ Aug 23, 2018 at 1:19
  • $\begingroup$ Ooo, another murder mystery! I can't upvote because of my daily voting limit (I have to wait $22$ hours), so $\color{darkorange}{\bigstar}$ I also like the whodunnit tag :D $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Aug 23, 2018 at 1:36
  • $\begingroup$ You seem to love a lot of puzzle types:) $\endgroup$ Aug 23, 2018 at 1:41
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, I do. I like riddles, especially, so I usually like making them, but I sometimes make other different kinds of puzzles. I watch a lot of tags... sometimes it appears that the entire homepage is highlighted. But, really, the best part is that not only can I make puzzles — I can solve them, too (or at least try to) :P $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Aug 23, 2018 at 1:44

1 Answer 1

1
$\begingroup$

My guess is

Tyler Cameron

Reasoning:

It is stated that the murders started around 1985 and are all commit by the same person. As Emily hadn't been born and Sasha was 3 it has to be Tyler. Additionally, a jewel loupe was found fitting with the fact that he is a jeweler. The sloppy sewing also indicates it probably isn't Emily.

The main red herring is the brochures to places like Paris and Milan. These two cities are commonly regarded as fashion capitals which might suggest it was Emily.

The other clues I'm not so sure of. The quartz might be explained by being associated with jewelry, but I have no clue what's the deal with the door frame. I also feel like there may be some other major reason that I didn't pick up on, but maybe it's just extraneous information.

$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ Good job, you're correct. $\endgroup$ Aug 23, 2018 at 2:29
  • $\begingroup$ Hi @XavierStanton, since Bennet answered it correctly, could you accept (give a check mark to) his answer and mark this puzzle as solved? Thanks! $\endgroup$
    – R.D
    Aug 23, 2018 at 3:59
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, I usually don't forget $\endgroup$ Aug 23, 2018 at 4:15
  • $\begingroup$ It's alright! No worries $\endgroup$
    – R.D
    Aug 23, 2018 at 4:19

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.