frightfiction Chapter 1402 Commencement of the Arrest
Chapter 1402 Commencement of the Arrest
The team then visited Luo Baojun's landlord, who stated that Luo Baojun hadn't returned to the apartment for three days, and the rent was almost due. "He rarely contacts me. He came back once three nights ago with a black backpack, looking very flustered, and I haven't seen him since," the landlord said. The team immediately searched Luo Baojun's apartment. The room was cluttered, filled with trash and old clothes. In a drawer by the bed, they found a single-edged folding knife, about 15 centimeters long, matching the characteristics of the weapon identified by the forensic expert! The team immediately collected fingerprints and trace material samples from the folding knife and sent them to the technical department for testing.
Meanwhile, the team members investigated Luo Baojun's social connections and learned that he had a mistress named Zhang Yan, who lived in an old residential area in the city. Xiao Wang immediately led the team to Zhang Yan's residence. Zhang Yan appeared somewhat panicked upon seeing the investigators. After patient persuasion from the team members, Zhang Yan finally revealed Luo Baojun's hiding place: "Baojun came to see me three nights ago, saying he had gotten into a fight and was afraid of being arrested by the police. He asked me to help him find a place to hide. I arranged for him to stay in an abandoned old house in my hometown, in Zhangjiazhuang in the southern suburbs, a place rarely visited."
After obtaining Luo Baojun's hiding place, Xiao Wang immediately reported to Li Ming. Li Ming promptly decided to organize police forces to carry out the arrest in Zhangjiazhuang in the southern suburbs. "Luo Baojun has violent tendencies and may be carrying a weapon. Safety must be paramount during the arrest; ensure everything goes smoothly," Li Ming instructed. Subsequently, Li Ming personally formulated an arrest plan, assigning twenty police officers to three groups: the first group was responsible for blocking the entrances and exits of Zhangjiazhuang to prevent Luo Baojun's escape; the second group, led by Xiao Wang, was responsible for a frontal assault; and the third group was responsible for perimeter security and providing support as needed.
At 8 p.m. that evening, the arrest team arrived at Zhangjiazhuang in the southern suburbs. Zhangjiazhuang is a remote village, where most of the villagers have moved to the city, leaving only a few elderly people and abandoned old houses. The abandoned old house that Zhang Yan mentioned is located at the easternmost edge of the village, surrounded by weeds, far from the villagers' residential area, and in a very secluded location.
"Attention all groups, proceed according to the pre-arranged plan, maintain communication, and strictly prohibit any unauthorized actions," Xiao Wang issued the instructions via walkie-talkie. The first group quickly sealed off all entrances and exits of the village, set up sentry posts at major intersections, and strictly checked people and vehicles entering and leaving the village; the third group concealed themselves in the weeds around the old house, forming an outer perimeter cordon; Xiao Wang led the second group, cautiously approaching the abandoned old house.
The door to the abandoned old house was locked, and the windows were broken, making the interior pitch black and obscuring the view. Xiao Wang signaled to his team members to hide in the corner, while he quietly went to the window and shone a flashlight inside. The room was cluttered with old furniture and miscellaneous items. In a corner, a figure was curled up asleep on the floor, covered with a tattered coat. Based on the figure's build and the scar on his left cheek, it could be preliminarily identified as Luo Baojun.
"Action!" Xiao Wang whispered. The team members immediately stepped forward, kicked open the door, and rushed into the house. "Don't move! Police!" the team members shouted in unison, their flashlights shining on the figure in the corner. Luo Baojun was startled awake by the sudden commotion and scrambled to his feet, trying to escape to the back window. The back window had already been blocked by the team members, and Luo Baojun was immediately held down by two team members as soon as he reached it.
"Let me go! What right do you have to arrest me!" Luo Baojun resisted fiercely, struggling desperately to break free from the officers' control. "Behave yourself! If you resist again, we won't be polite!" Xiao Wang stepped forward, snatched the wooden stick from Luo Baojun's hand, and the officers quickly handcuffed him. During the arrest, one officer's arm was scratched by Luo Baojun, but he was not seriously injured.
After apprehending Luo Baojun, the team conducted a thorough search of the abandoned old house. In a black backpack in a corner, they found a black jacket with what appeared to be bloodstains and a pair of rubber-soled sneakers. The sneakers had a grid pattern, similar to the size 42 footprints found at the scene. The team immediately collected and sealed the jacket and sneakers, sending them to the technical department for testing. Meanwhile, on a table inside the house, they found half a pack of "Hongtashan" brand cigarettes, matching the brand of the cigarette butts found at the scene.
"Luo Baojun, we are from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Detachment. You are under arrest for suspected intentional homicide." Xiao Wang showed Luo Baojun the arrest warrant. Luo Baojun was pale, his eyes filled with fear, but he still stubbornly said, "I didn't kill anyone, you've arrested the wrong person!" "Whether you killed someone or not, we'll find out at the police station. Now come with us!" After Xiao Wang finished speaking, he signaled his officers to put Luo Baojun into the police car.
At 10 PM, the arrest team brought Luo Baojun back to the Criminal Investigation Division. At this time, the technical department reported preliminary test results: the fingerprints extracted from the single-edged folding knife found in Luo Baojun's rented room closely matched those extracted at the scene; trace amounts of blood remaining on the blade were confirmed to be the blood of the deceased, Chen Ershan; white synthetic fibers extracted from the black jacket found in the abandoned old house matched white synthetic fiber samples extracted at the scene; and the pattern of the sneakers perfectly matched the footprints extracted at the scene. All this evidence indicated that Luo Baojun was the suspect in the murder of Chen Ershan.
Although they successfully identified and apprehended the suspect, Luo Baojun, the investigators did not relax their efforts. The arrest was just one step in solving the case; the subsequent interrogation would be even more challenging. Luo Baojun had multiple prior convictions and a strong awareness of counter-investigation. To get him to confess to the crimes, they would need ample evidence and a meticulous interrogation strategy. The lights in the criminal investigation team's office remained bright. After a short rest, the team members began preparing for the next phase of the interrogation, firmly believing that the truth would soon be revealed.
In the dead of night, the interrogation room of the criminal investigation unit was brightly lit, illuminating everything inside. A rectangular interrogation table sat in the middle, with case files, pens, and a recording device on it. Xiao Zhou sat on one side of the table, dressed in a police uniform, his expression serious, his eyes sharp as an eagle, fixed on Luo Baojun opposite him. Luo Baojun, who had just been brought in, had his hands cuffed to iron rings under the table. His hair was disheveled, his eyes darting around, and the scar on his left cheek was particularly noticeable under the light, but a hint of defiant arrogance still lingered at the corner of his mouth. He deliberately straightened his back, trying to maintain a final bit of composure.