frightfiction Chapter 1304: On-site investigation basically completed.
Chapter 1304: On-site investigation basically completed.
At noon, the work to expand the investigation area was basically completed. Xiao Yang and Xiao Sun returned to the Criminal Investigation Detachment with evidence including the collected tire imprint samples, two types of fibers, plastic pieces, and photos of tree trunk scratches. The technical staff were already waiting at the door and immediately began testing after receiving the evidence.
"How was it? Any new discoveries?" Li Ming asked as soon as he saw the two return.
Xiao Yang took out the investigation record and handed it to Li Ming: "After expanding the investigation area, we found tire tracks from an electric tricycle or motorcycle, measuring 8 centimeters wide and spaced 40 centimeters apart, in four locations, distributed on the east and west sides of the lawn; two types of fibers were extracted, namely light blue synthetic fiber and dark gray cotton fiber; shovel scratches were found on the trunks of trees in the woods on the west side; a blurry size 42 sneaker footprint and a small piece of black plastic were also found. These traces currently require further testing to determine their relevance to the case."
Li Ming carefully reviewed the investigation record, his fingers lightly tapping on the table: "Electric tricycles or motorcycles, two types of fibers, shovel scratches—these clues are more numerous than before. The technical department needs to complete the testing as soon as possible—compare tire marks to common vehicle models, determine the material and source of the fibers, analyze the composition and purpose of the plastic pieces, and determine the type of tool from the scratches. In addition, combining the clue of 'blurry human figure at night three months ago' found by Xiao Wang, focus on investigating individuals who have frequently driven electric tricycles or motorcycles in and out of Dongshan Park within the past six months, and who are wearing synthetic fiber or cotton clothing, especially suspects who possess digging tools and have poor economic conditions."
“We have already handed the samples over to the technical department, and we expect to have preliminary results tomorrow,” Xiao Sun added. “In addition, we speculate that the suspect may have entered the lawn from the small paths on the east or west side of the park. We suggest that Xiao Wang’s team focus on visiting the shops and residents around these two paths to see if anyone has seen any suspicious vehicles or people.”
Li Ming nodded: "Okay, I'll have Xiao Wang adjust the direction of our visits right away. You two have worked hard too, go and rest first. We'll hold a case analysis meeting after the technical department's test results come out to further refine the direction of the investigation."
Xiao Yang and Xiao Sun walked out of the office, looking at the lights on in the technical department, their hearts filled with anticipation. Although the clues were still scattered, the traces discovered by expanding the scope of the investigation undoubtedly opened up a new breakthrough for solving the case. They believed that as long as the technical department could find more related information from these traces, and combined with interviews and investigations, they would soon be able to identify the suspect and uncover the truth behind the Dongshan Park corpse case.
That afternoon, the technical department reported preliminary results: after comparing the tire imprint samples, it was determined that they were common electric tricycle tire patterns, especially those of brands such as "Jinpeng" and "Zongshen" which have high sales volume in the local market; the light blue synthetic fiber was tested and found to be consistent with the material of common work pants; the dark gray cotton fiber was the same as the cotton wadding of ordinary cotton quilts; the purpose of the black plastic sheet could not be determined at the moment and its composition needed further analysis.
These preliminary test results clarified the direction of the investigation. Li Ming immediately instructed Xiao Wang to focus on visiting shops, scrap metal recycling stations, and construction sites around the small roads on the east and west sides of Dongshan Park, and to investigate people who had driven electric tricycles and were wearing work pants in the past six months, especially suspects who had items such as quilts and shovels, and who had a record of entering and leaving the park at night three months ago.
As night deepened, the Criminal Investigation Division's office building remained brightly lit. Although the investigation into the Dongshan Park corpse case still faced many challenges, with the increasing number of traces discovered at the scene, the continuous advancement of technical testing, and the precise adjustment of the scope of interviews, everyone firmly believed that the truth was getting closer and closer, and that it wouldn't be long before the deceased buried under the park's lawn could be exonerated.
At 8 p.m., the cold light from the forensic autopsy room of the Criminal Investigation Detachment pierced the air, casting even spots of light on the stainless steel autopsy table. The body found in Dongshan Park was carefully placed on the autopsy table. The outer layer of soil had been preliminarily removed, but fine bits of grass and wet mud still clung to the dark clothing. The pungent smell of decay stubbornly permeated the space, even with the help of the ventilation system.
Forensic pathologist Zhang Lin, dressed in a dark blue autopsy gown with double-layered latex gloves tightly wrapped around his fingers, stood beside the autopsy table. His gaze swept over the overall shape of the corpse. Behind him, his assistant, Xiao Lin, had already neatly arranged the autopsy tools on a tray, and a recording board lay open beside him, ready to record crucial information. "Xiao Lin, first record the basic external characteristics of the corpse, focusing on rigor mortis, livor mortis, and the degree of skin decomposition. These are the foundation for determining the time of death," Zhang Lin's voice came through his protective mask, calm yet professionally meticulous.
Xiao Lin nodded and stepped forward, gently measuring the body with a soft measuring tape: "Teacher Zhang, the deceased is male, about 173 cm tall, of medium build, and preliminarily estimated to be between 45 and 55 years old; the skin is dark green, there are obvious putrefactive veins on the face, neck and chest, there is a corpse green color in the lower right abdomen, and there are a few putrefactive bubbles at the joint of the left upper limb—don't these putrefactive characteristics indicate that the time of death has been relatively long?"
Zhang Lin crouched down and gently pressed his fingers against the upper limb muscles of the corpse to feel the firmness of rigor mortis: "Rigoletto is distributed throughout all major joints of the body. The jaw joint, neck muscles, and limb joints are all in a rigid state, while the finger joints are in a semi-flexed state. There is considerable resistance when pressing, indicating that rigor mortis has reached its peak. The livor mortis is located on the back, buttocks, and back of the limbs. It is dark purplish-red in color and does not fade after pressing, proving that the livor mortis is completely fixed. Based on the characteristics of skin decomposition, the preliminary judgment is that the time of death is between 7 and 10 days, but further verification is needed based on the state of the internal organs and the contents of the stomach."
He paused, then pointed to the greenish tinge on the lower right abdomen of the corpse: "Look here, the greenish tinge is mainly in the lower right abdomen. This is the result of intestinal bacteria decomposing and producing hydrogen sulfide, which combines with hemoglobin to form ferrous sulfide. It usually begins to appear 24-48 hours after death and gradually spreads throughout the body in 7-10 days. Now the greenish tinge is limited to the lower right abdomen, and there are fewer putrefactive bubbles, indicating that the putrefaction process is in the middle stage, which is basically consistent with the time range of death determined by rigor mortis and livor mortis."
"What was the cause of death? Were there any obvious signs of external injury on the body?" Xiao Lin asked as he took notes, his eyes fixed on the head, neck, and other key areas of the corpse. Zhang Lin picked up tweezers and gently parted the messy hair on the deceased's face, revealing a swollen and deformed face—the eyelids were closed, the eyeballs were protruding, the corneas were cloudy and milky white, and the pupils were no longer visible; the lips were cyanotic, the teeth were intact, and no bite marks or signs of missing teeth were found.