 Mystery: January 29, 2013 Issue [#5491] |
  Mystery
This week: Police Line: Do Not Cross! Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week:"Nothing matters but the facts. Without them, the science of criminal investigation is nothing more than a guessing game."
~Blake Edwards
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In a murder mystery, the only character with worse luck than the victim is the poor devil who finds the body, but his role is vital to the story. Without a body, there may not be any evidence that a crime was committed, and the killer will get away with murder. Here are some questions to consider as you plan the discovery of the body:
Where is the body found?
Is it still at the crime scene or did the killer, or someone else, move it? Did the killer attempt to hide the body, or is it in plain sight? How might the location or season of the year influence the condition of the body? Is there anything unique about the location that might identify the killer later? (Maybe unique soil or seeds stuck to his tires, shoes, or clothing?)
Who finds the body?
Is it a random character with no other role in the story, or someone connected to the victim or killer? How will the discoverer react? Will the discoverer inadvertently or purposefully contaminate the evidence?
How long has the victim been dead?
Did the murder just happen, or has the victim been dead for years? If it was recent, are any potential witnesses nearby? What is the condition of the body? What is the effect of insects, scavengers, and predators?
Did the killer leave any clues behind?
Is the weapon still at the scene? How about footprints, tire tracks, clothing fibers, DNA, etc? How will your investigators handle the scene?
At what point in the story will the body be found?
Will it show up on the first page or later in the story?
What if the body is never found?
Occasionally a suspect may be tried and convicted of murder without a body, but it is much more difficult to prove. One example is the true case of Jeanna North and Kyle Bell. In 1993, eleven year old Jeanna North of Fargo, ND disappeared and her body has never been found. Eventually a neighbor, Kyle Bell, confessed to murdering her and dumping her body in a nearby river. Bell later recanted his confession, claiming it was coerced by police. Although the judge ruled the confession inadmissible, Bell was convicted in 1999 and sentenced to life in prison. The victim's DNA was found in his truck and a cinder block and rope matching materials in his basement were found at the river.
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70841
Something to try: Write a short story that begins with the discovery of a body. |
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Question for the week: Do you ever write stories based on real life mysteries or crimes?
Answer to last month's question: When you write, do you think of plot or characters first?
Quick-Quill 
Plot! I have great stories, now I have the laborious job of building characters to act out the parts of the plot. I have a missing grandmother with no clue where she is or if she is alive. Now I have to create the story of a grandson who is determined to find her in spite of the conflicts that are set to detour him. |
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