Chapter 340
Luke called for the coroner and tech team to arrive at the scene.
He then returned to the crime scene, apartment 611.
Two scenes, two victims, and different firearms used for the killings, but the police found the second scene by tracking the shooter, indicating that the two cases were somehow related, and that the two victims were most likely killed by the same murderer.
Currently, Luke was unable to determine the murderer’s motive for killing.
“Ramon, what do you think about this case?”
Ramon looked out the window, “There is at least four to five hundred meters from here to the scene of the car accident, it’s hard to hit a high speed moving target at such a distance.
I’m guessing that the other party might be a professional killer, but there’s one detail that makes me a bit skeptical again.”
“What detail?”
“The bullet casings.
If it’s a trained professional killer, they would take the bullet casings with them after a mission, but this shooter left the bullet casings at the scene of the shooting, which is unprofessional.”
Luke also walked over to the window to view the scene of the automobile accident, and if he was the shooter, odds were that he wouldn’t have been able to hit his target.
Anyone who could hit a target from such a distance would most likely be a professional, and even if they weren’t professional, they had specialized military training.
Like Ramon said, if it had been professionally trained, it would likely have taken the bullet casings with it, so why didn’t the shooter do that?
Luke twisted his head to look at the corpse on the side, his mind probably deduced.
“Ramon, if you were the shooter, what would you have done?”
Ramon replied, “Shoot the gun, pack up the gear, collect the shell casings, clean up the traces, and leave the scene.”
Luke said, “What would you have done if you had fired your gun and were packing it up when suddenly someone broke into the room?”
Raymond said, “Kill the other person.”
“If not one, but two people broke in, and after you killed the first one, the second one screamed and fled.
What would you do?”
“I would try to chase down the other person.”
“What if you didn’t chase the other person?”
Ramon thought for a moment, “I would have fled the scene as quickly as possible to avoid the other man calling the police or attracting more people.”
“That’s right, the reason why the shooter didn’t pick up the shell casings is most likely because he was interfered by the intruder.
There’s no perfect case in this world, no matter how tightly planned beforehand, unexpected circumstances may arise when the crime is actually committed.”
Luke was also leaning toward the shooter being a professional.
It was important to establish that.
If it was a professional killer, then it was probably a murder for hire, and the investigation and questioning would be different from a normal homicide.
An alibi, for example.
If it’s an ordinary homicide where the murderer kills in person, if the suspect has an alibi, the possibility of the other party committing the murder can be ruled out.
But murder for hire was different, he only had to pay, he didn’t need to kill in person.
“Knock knock.”
Jenny knocked on the apartment door, “Captain, there was no blood found and no suspected witness female.”
“Good news, that means the witness is still alive.” As Luke finished, another doubt rose in his mind, if the witness escaped, then why didn’t she call the police?
“Jenny, did you find any other unusual signs?”
Jenny thought for a moment and asked rhetorically, “Such as?”
Luke said, “If you were the witness, what would you have done after you escaped without incident?”
“Call the police.” Jenny blurted out, frowning, “But we didn’t get a police message from this apartment, which means the witness didn’t call the police, or rather, she’s incapable of calling the police right now.
Either she’s dead or injured, and possibly being held hostage by the shooter!”
Jenny thought precipitously of the arguing couple in apartment 707, “Captain, do you remember the woman who was injured in 707?
She had bruises on her face and was panicked.
Before that, I always thought she had been subjected to domestic violence, and her reaction was a little different from domestic violence.
Could she be the female witness and the man in the house is not her husband, but the murderer holding her hostage.”
Luke thought for a moment, “She was already standing in the doorway and knew we were the police, so why didn’t she call the police?”
Jenny speculated, “Could the shooter have been in the back threatening to shoot if she dared to call the police.
She had just been through the 611 apartment shooting and was probably scared, which would fit with her panicked behavior.”
Raymond said, “That’s a bold idea you have, but if I were the shooter, I would have just killed the woman and wouldn’t have given her any access to the police at all.”
Jenny said, “Could it be that the shooter was also wounded and needed the woman to cover for him?”
Ramon said, “That’s not a good reason, the shooter would still kill someone.”
Luke looked at the dead man on the floor, “There is another possibility that the dead man is not the intruder, but the shooter.”
After the two intruders entered the room, one of the intruders exchanged gunfire with the gunman, the female intruder was startled and ran away screaming.
Afterward, the male intruder killed the gunman, processed the scene and found the female intruder.
The female intruder didn’t call the police because the two knew each other, but the two also got into an argument over the incident and the male intruder assaulted the female intruder.”
This speculation of Luke completely overturned the crowd’s previous guesses.
Ramon was a bit confused, “Captain, do you have proof?”
“No, it’s just speculation.” Luke shook his head slightly, probably an after effect of being a detective.
Jenny said, “I agree with the captain’s speculation, the possibility is high.
And even if the captain’s speculation is wrong, that woman may have been subjected to domestic violence, it’s necessary for us to investigate.”
Luke said, “Ramon, you contact the company’s property and investigate the situation in apartments 611 and 707.
Jenny, you come with me to the 7th floor of the apartment to set up a perimeter.”
“YES, Sir.”
The seventh floor of Patou’s apartment.
Luke had climbed the stairs to get up here, and he carefully examined each stair step and didn’t find any suspicious traces.
When they reached the seventh floor, Jenny looked over at the door to apartment 707 and asked the two staked out patrolmen, “Anything unusual?”
One of the black patrolmen said, “No one has come out.”
Jenny asked, “Captain, what do we do?”
Luke didn’t answer, he was waiting to hear from Ramon.
Jenny looked at her watch, “Why don’t I call the door and bring the woman out.”
Luke vetoed, “No, if it’s really a gunman hiding inside 707, the first time you call the door, they might not suspect anything.
The second time you call the door, he’ll definitely be alerted, and you’ll be in danger then too.”
Jenny said, “But the longer it drags on, the more dangerous that woman will be, I’m worried ……”
Luke interrupted the other party, “Calm down, before is just our speculation, there is no evidence that the people in apartment 707 are related to the shooting, wait for Ramon’s side to check clearly before taking action.”
“LOL ……”
As Luke’s words fell, the door of apartment 707 opened without warning.
The police officers present all revealed tense looks.
A tall white man walked out from the room.
Jenny held her gun in both hands and shouted, “LAPD, freeze!”
“Put your hands up!”
The other officers were on guard with their guns.
The white man was startled and hurriedly raised his hands, “Hey, don’t shoot, I’m unarmed.”
One of the patrolmen instructed, “Get your hands on the wall, slow down and don’t make any unnecessary movements.”
A patrolman walked over and frisked the white man, “He’s unarmed.”
The white man said, “Sir, I’m a good person and I’m not doing anything illegal.”
Jenny asked, “What is your name?”
“Rudger Yarolim.”
“Where is the lady from earlier?”
“She’s still in the room.”
“What is your relationship?”
“Husband and wife.”
“Have you been to apartment 611 this morning?”
“No, I’ve been home all day and this is the first time I’ve been out.”
“Do you have a gun?”
“No.”
“Who was in your house this morning?”
“Just me and my wife.”
“But as far as we know, there was an argument and the sound of things being thrown around in your home this morning around nine o’clock; what happened?”
The man hesitated for a moment, “Nothing happened.”
Jenny questioned, “Then how did your wife get the bruises on her face? And how did the dress break?”
The man looked down, silent.
“You won’t talk?” Jenny went to the door and called out, “LAPD, Mrs. Yarolim, please come out here.”
A moment later, a white woman came out of the apartment room, the same woman who had first opened the door for Jenny, “Officer, what can I do for you?”
“Mrs. Yarolim, is this man outside your husband?”
“Yes.”
“Have you been to apartment 611 today?”
“No.”
“Are you the owners of this apartment?”
“Yes.”
“Have you left the room today?”
“No.”
“Was there anyone else in the apartment room?”
“No.”
“What did you do to your face?”
The woman covered her cheek with her hand, glanced at her husband, and bowed her head, “Accidental fall.”
“Phew ……,” Jenny sighed softly, “You don’t have to look anyone in the eye and don’t be afraid, with us here, no one can threaten you.
Were you assaulted?”
“No.”
“Were you subjected to domestic violence?”
The woman showed a panicked look and glanced at her husband again, “No, you need to stop asking, we have a good relationship as a couple, a really good one.”
Luke stood by and kept observing the couple, neither of the couple had lied about apartment 611.
This meant that they should have nothing to do with the shooting that had occurred in apartment 611, and Luke’s earlier speculation might not hold water.
However, this same couple also lied, and both showed signs of lying when Jenny asked questions related to domestic violence, indicating that there may indeed have been an act of domestic violence.
The laws in Los Angeles are tough when it comes to domestic violence, and once a case is filed and investigated, the aggravating circumstances can result in a sentence of four or five years.
Because of this, there are a small number of couples are not willing to admit domestic violence, even if the police door to ask, couples will not admit, this time the police can not help, can not go through the procedures of the domestic violence case, the probability will not be settled.
As for how the police know?
This kind of situation usually couples will not call the police, the probability is that the neighbors call the police.
If it is true that one of the spouses called the police, the probability is that they will go through the procedures of a domestic violence case, and the problem will be serious.
Luke sized up the couple and his eyes fell on the husband, “Mr. Yarolim, I’m Luke Lee, captain of Squadron One of the Robbery and Murder Division, can I talk to you alone?”
“There’s no need.”
“I think it’s necessary, and if you don’t want us to come back, it’s best to settle the matter once and for all.”
Rudger Yarolim looked at his wife and nodded, “OK.”
“Let’s go to your house and talk.” Luke said and walked straight to the apartment room.
The room was in disarray, a mess of things scattered on the floor, tables, chairs, lamps, wine glasses, pillows, and so on.
“Mr. Yarolim, World War III in your house?”
Rudger Yarolim sighed, “My wife loves to drop things when she loses her temper.”
“So you beat her.”
“No, I never hit her.”
“Then how did she get that bruise on her face?”
“Accidentally hit it.”
From the looks of the scene, it did look like there had been a fight, but Luke asked two questions, and Rudger Yarolim showed no signs of lying.
“Did she hit you?”
Rudeger Yarolim gulped, “No.”
Lying!
Luke said, “Roll up your sleeves.”
There was a hint of supplication in Rudeger Yarolim’s voice, “Please don’t.”
“Mr. Yarolim, now that the police are involved, this matter must be cleared up, do as I say.”
Rudger Yarolim hesitated for a moment before slowly rolling up his sleeve, there was a bruise on his right arm and multiple scars the size of soybean grains on his left arm, a mixture of new and old wounds.
“Take your top off.”
“Sir, there’s really no need to do that.”
“Mr. Yarolim, when it comes down to it, there’s no way you can help her hide it anymore.”
Rudeger Yarolim sighed and took off his dark shirt, there were large bruises and soybean-sized cuts on his body, and a teeny-tiny scratch on his back, some of the cuts flushed red and some of them already scabbed over.
“Mr. Yarolim, what the hell happened?”
Rudger Yarolim revealed a helpless, complicated look, “This morning, she wasn’t in a very good mood, and after we argued for a few moments, she started hitting me ……
I didn’t fight back, I just tried to push her away.
She got even angrier and just rode on top of me, hitting me harder.” The white man pointed to the soybean-sized bruises, “These are the wounds she made with her diamond ring, which is very sharp.
I pushed her away so hard her face hit the coffee table, that’s all.”
“Did she beat you often?”
“She’s not bad by nature, she just has a bad temper.”
“Why didn’t you call the police?”
“Call the police?” The white man revealed a bitter smile, “I can’t say ……
And don’t want her to go to jail.”
Luke walked out of the apartment and turned to the white wife and asked, “Mrs. Yarolim, have you ever beaten your husband?”
Jenny revealed a surprised look and asked in a low voice, “Captain, are you mistaken, the one who was injured was Mrs. Yarolim, moreover, her husband was at least 20 centimeters taller than her, how could she be the aggressor?”
Luke didn’t answer and said to the apartment room, “Mr. Yarolim, please come out for a moment.”
Rudger Yarolim came out shirtless, and the officers in the room looked surprised when they saw the bruises on his body.
They guessed that there was a domestic violence here, but no one expected the victim of the domestic violence to be the taller husband.
“FUCK, you asshole, what did you tell the police?” The white wife changed her face violently, glaring at her husband and questioning him loudly.
Rudger Yarolim defended, “I didn’t say anything, they guessed.”
The wife said in an unquestioning tone, “There is no such thing as domestic violence, understand?”
Seeing his wife as if she had changed her face, Jenny was a little disbelieving.
Thinking back to her wife’s previous behavior, whenever Jenny inquired whether domestic violence had occurred, she would show a panicked look and would also look at her husband.
At that time, she thought that her wife was out of fear of her husband, but now it seems to be the opposite, she was afraid that her evil behavior of domestic violence would be exposed.
Jenny asked, “What’s your name?”
“Feyma.”
Jenny took out her handcuffs and pushed her against the wall, “Feyma Yarolim, you are under arrest.”
Feyma looked at Jenny angrily, “You can’t arrest me, there was no domestic violence, neither of us as a couple will admit to it, there’s no point in arresting me.”
Luke asked, “So tell me, how did your husband get the injuries on his body?”
“I don’t know, maybe he did it by accident?”
Luke grabbed her wrist and pointed to the ring on it, “The bruises on your husband’s back are from this diamond ring.
That’s the proof.”
“It’s none of your business, it’s our own business as a couple, husband say something, there was no domestic violence right?”
Rudger Yarolim looked hesitant and lowered his head.
Fema shouted, “Why don’t you answer me? Why don’t you clarify for me.
Did you call the police, did you call this group of policemen.”
Seeing that her husband didn’t answer, Fei Ma became even more furious and cursed, “FUCK! You bastard actually dared to betray me.
You’re dead meat.
When I come out, I won’t let you go.
I will kill you!”
Jenny said somewhat incredulously, “What a crazy woman.”
Rudger Yarolim walked over to Luke, “Sir, can you let her go?”
Luke glanced at him, “Haven’t you been beaten enough?”
“She is my wife after all, I just don’t want this family ruined if she goes to jail ……”
“That’s something you’ll leave for the courtroom.”