Diary of a Criminal Investigator-Chapter 330: Major Discovery

Lu Chuan frowned and began the third measurement.

"The center of gravity... it’s correct."

"Blurred edge... 1.5 millimeters... typical of small feet in big shoes... but... how is this possible?"

Though Lu Chuan’s bloodstain pattern analysis skill is only intermediate, not as impressive as fingerprint identification analysis,

an intermediate skill is still at the level of a provincial expert.

However, the shoe print analysis...

Lu Chuan’s footprint identification and analysis is at the basic skills level, with a significant gap compared to bloodstain pattern analysis.

But regardless of the gap, an overturning conclusion seems unlikely.

"Height... between 1.75 meters and 1.78 meters... very powerful, not very old..."

Such an adult, whether male or female, with this height and weight, this level of physical fitness, could the person have a congenital foot deformity?

Someone over 1.7 meters with size 36 feet?

It’s possible, but not likely.

In theory, a person’s height and foot length are proportional, which is the basis of footprint identification and analysis.

Of course, there are exceptions such as congenital deformities causing a disbalance.

The probability of this...

One in ten thousand, or one in a hundred thousand?

If this probability doesn’t exist, why would such a situation arise?

What exactly happened at the scene?

Could it be...

There was more than one perpetrator?

No, that can’t be right!

From the bloodstain spray patterns at the scene, from the entrance to the bed, it’s evident that only one person attacked the victim.

Because the bloodstain spray obscures, it reflects the number of people present at the scene.

This judgment doesn’t require particularly advanced skills; any criminal investigator who has seen similar cases can make this determination.

Just now, the members of the major case team had no doubts about this.

This indicates that indeed only one person carried out the assault at the scene.

But then, what’s with the shoe print?

Perplexed, Lu Chuan completed the third measurement.

The length of the foot, the size of the blurred edge, the center of pressure, the effect of bone analysis on pressure at different positions of the footprint, gait simulation, data on step angle and step width...

"Female, height between 1.5 to 1.6 meters, approximately 40 kilograms in weight, aged between 20 to 25 years, slightly bow-legged."

After three measurements, Lu Chuan ultimately concluded the above based on the footprints at the scene!

And this conclusion is completely opposite to the conclusion from bloodstain pattern analysis.

Moreover, the victim clearly suffered an assault, yet the footprint identification and analysis result indicates a woman!

Temporary meeting room of the major case team.

Li Donglin sat at the head of the table, holding Lu Chuan’s bloodstain pattern analysis report and footprint identification and analysis report.

Wang Song, Song Mingguang, and others were also present.

"Lu Chuan, are you sure these two analysis reports... have no issues?"

Lu Chuan nodded affirmatively.

"I am confident about the bloodstain patterns at the scene, and everyone has the same view as me."

"There was only one perpetrator, whose height should be between 1.75 and 1.80 meters, a young adult."

"The bloodstain pattern at the crime scene, in terms of angle, force, etc., all provide a basis for this judgment."

"Moreover, from the direction of bloodstain spray covering, it was indeed one person at the time."

"It should be one person; if there were two perpetrators, the direction of bloodstain spray would certainly show different variations."

Wang Song and others nodded.

Seeing this is not difficult.

For example, after the victim is harmed, whether the sprayed bloodstain is blocked by one or two blocking objects, based on the bloodstain’s interruptions, it’s easy to judge.

"But what about the shoe prints?"

"Your footprint analysis... points to a woman less than 1.6 meters tall?"

Concerning the scene’s footprints, everyone thought that it was the perpetrator who wiped away bloodstains, erased their footprints, and left wearing the victim’s shoes.

However, based on Lu Chuan’s analysis, it suggests there was another person at the scene.

This person did not participate in the earlier harm to the victim, but at the end, she walked into the crime scene wearing the victim’s shoes.

It’s even possible that the knife wound on the victim’s neck was inflicted by the person who appeared last.

The one who harmed and the one who ultimately killed are not the same?

"Regarding the footprint analysis, I can responsibly say the conclusion may have errors but won’t have a disruptive mistake."

"Also, height and weight inferred from the footprints rule out the possibility of congenital foot deformity for the perpetrator."

"I recommend expanding the suspect list, focusing on couples or partners in the apartment building that match both the bloodstain pattern analysis and footprint identification and analysis conclusions!"

Everyone, including Li Donglin, frowned deeply.

According to the Qinzhou City Criminal Investigation Team’s report, earlier investigations focused on single males in the apartment building.

Now it seems...

The reason for not finding the perpetrator might be due to a significant deviation in suspect identification.

Getting two-person crime and one-person crime mixed up, it’s no wonder the case remains unsolved.

However, then again, how reliable is Lu Chuan’s technical analysis?

Li Donglin’s choice answered that question.

"Re-outline the suspect target range based on Lu Chuan’s analysis results."

"Especially female height between 1.5 to 1.6 meters, weighing around 40 kilograms, such a slender woman should not be hard to find, everyone move out!"

...

Apart from Lu Chuan, the members of the major case team that came were all top-level frontline investigation experts.

With an approximate target characteristic, a target suspect was quickly identified.

"Room 703!"

A couple living on the same floor as the victim, Wang Min, in room 703, fully matched Lu Chuan’s findings.

Over the past week, the Qinzhou City Criminal Investigation Team had already collected basic information on over 300 residents in the apartment building.

Among these 300 people, over 100 were women, and more than 200 were men, with only 4 women matching Lu Chuan’s footprint identification and analysis conclusions.

A single woman living in room 1108, a single mother in room 602, the older sister among two sisters living in room 909, and the couple living in room 703.

"The woman is Sun Lulu, a web novel writer, and the man is Zhang Cheng, Sun Lulu’s high school classmate; these two match the attributes identified by Lu Chuan’s analysis."

With the information compiled, Wang Song began reporting.

"Four people, I suggest interrogating them all."

"Focus on room 703!"

"Agreed, propose surprise searches for the residences of the four."

Since there’s significant progress, corroborated by Lu Chuan’s findings, arrests, interrogations, and surprise checks are naturally not out of order.

"Action!"