Chapter 6 – Investigation (3)
This was an extremely heart-wrenching case. As Sakaguchi glanced at the chair next to him, he could see that Tanizaki pursed her lips while she was looking at the screen.
“The estimated death is between seven o’clock and eight o’clock at night. The cause of death is pressure being applied in the neck and spine. Because nothing could be found in the vital organs, it can be concluded that the damage to the body was done after the victim died. Apart from the wounds that are visible from the outside, no other injuries are found. There are also no visible signs of resistance. Because there are no traces of blood, we can conclude that the perpetrator bathed the body and brushed the nails of the hands and feet. We also found chemicals throughout the victim’s body. After an analysis, we found that it’s a type of clothing bleach. “
“Bleach?” Satoda frowned.
“Yes. A peroxide type, it’s the kind of bleach that is often used in households. We suspect the culprit wiped the body using bleach. “
Harming the body, washing it, and then wiping it with bleach? When Sakaguchi imagined the culprit wiping the body in silence, he shivered at the thought.
“Is there anything that can be used as a clue?”
Sakaguchi immediately straightened his back in order not to miss the answer to that important question.
“Regarding that, there isn’t a single thing stuck on the body that could be used as a clue, there aren’t any hair or even clothing fibers. Moreover, any saliva, sperm, and sweat that could’ve been on the body, was wiped out with the bleach. The cardboard that was used as a base also seemed to be an object that was already around the location where the victim was found. The compounds in the mud that seeped in the cardboard matches the soil around the river.
Because there isn’t any blood, we can suspect that the perpetrator strangled the victim elsewhere, he then moved him after damaging the body. In addition, the missing piece of genital that was cut off hasn’t been found yet. This is all the explanation that I can give.”
When the forensic officer placed down the mic and sat down, the hall was filled with a heavy atmosphere.
A truly horrifying case.
Usually, there were always hidden clues in the body—the perpetrator’s hair, body fluids, pieces of skin, or maybe even clothing fibers that the culprit uses. However, this time, the perpetrator seemed to be very careful. He even took off the victim’s clothes and washed the victim’s body thoroughly, even wiping it with bleach afterwards. Because of that, the missing genital was even more prominent.
“Are there any eyewitnesses?” Satoda asked.
At that moment, a detective stood up. “We traveled around the place looking for other eyewitnesses besides the woman who first found the victim. However, we didn’t have any luck.”
“Starting tomorrow, we will increase the personnel for the investigation team. The area for investigation will also be expanded, but it will still be centered on the river’s edge,” Satoda said. The detectives in the room nodded after hearing this.
“How about the description of the victim’s parents ?” Satoda asked.
A detective in charge of investigating the victim’s parents stood up.
“The victim’s father is 32 years old, an employee at a small contracting company in the Edogawa district. The company is often tasked with renovating houses and shops. His salary reaches 4,300,000 yen a year. Meanwhile, the victim’s mother is 29 years old, a regular housewife. There have been no strange calls since the victim disappeared.”
“I will divide tasks in order to investigate deeper into the social relations of these two people, including the presence or absence of any financial problems. Notably on the father’s side, ensure if he has any relationship with other women. Please, investigate any possible affairs. How about the mother and father’s alibis? “
When there are cases involving children lately, the parents are often main suspects. It was truly a terrible era.
The detective who just responded answered this question, “After contacting 110, the mother asked her parents who lived in Edogawa to accompany her. She also contacted several women whose children went to the same playgroup to help her with finding the victim. Because the mother was in a chaotic state of mind, there had to be at least one person by her side at all times. The victim’s father was working despite it being Saturday. After receiving the news, he quickly returned home from the office and arrived at seven o’clock at night. Then, the husband went out to look for his son while continuing to communicate with his wife. He said he was looking for the victim in the places where the boy often played, like the park.”
“His father went off searching for the boy alone?”
“It looks that way.”
“Before going home, was he always in his respective office?”
“As reported, he went around visiting customers.”
After hearing this explanation, all of the detectives’ faces in the room immediately tensed up.
Of course, the father could also be a suspect.
But why did he have to kill his child, only to commit sexual violence afterward?
What was the motive behind that?
The victim’s body was washed clean, his genitals were missing. And then, with meticulous care, the victim’s body was dumped without any evidence.
They couldn’t even imagine the culprit’s figure.
“This investigation has just begun. For a while, these hard days will continue. Submit the suspect’s name as soon as possible! Understand?!” Satoda clapped his hands hard and gave the despondent detectives some encouragement, he then closed the investigation meeting. Satoda’s face also looked quite pale, perhaps it was because of the tension.
The investigating team was just established today. The information may indeed be just like this. However, an uneasy feeling kept creeping in Sakaguchi’s mind.
Sakaguchi could feel it based on his years of experience.
This case will be extremely hard.
Not only was it complicated, but it would also take a long time.
Even though it was going to be winter soon, an uncomfortable drop of sweat ran down his back.