North America Gunman Detective

Chapter 1400 756: Restarting the Investigation (2)

By the time they arrived at Jimmy's side, gasping for breath, Mark and Wright had already cleared the dirt off the body below, leaving only some loose soil that required careful handling. It was best for the forensic team to deal with it to avoid destroying any potential clues.

Professionals are different; the two forensic personnel opened their cases away from the body, taking out protective suits, masks, gloves, and other tools. After changing into their protective wear, they carefully brushed off the dirt on the body, examined the clothes to ensure no damage from shovels, and then had Mark and Wright dig a bit more from the side. After a long effort, they finally moved the body to the ground, along with a small circle of surrounding soil.

A layer of plastic sheet was already spread on the ground, and another agent was responsible for taking photos throughout the process, ensuring everything was compliant to avoid any challenges to the evidence.

On the plastic sheet, the two forensic personnel changed to a new pair of gloves and began clearing the soil next to the body, which was stained with blood. As they cleaned, they commented, "It seems there's only one wound on the neck of the body, likely slit from behind, but we'll have to wait for the forensic doctor's results."

The body had been buried for days, and in the Caribbean area, with its humid and rainy weather, the moist soil had already caused a significant amount of decay. Once the body was fully extracted, an overwhelming stench filled the air, unbearable for anyone who wasn't a professional.

Jimmy approached for a closer look. From the blood and the state of the body, it was clear that the throat had been slashed and the wound was slightly to the left. Most people are assumed to be right-handed, so such a wound implies it was inflicted from behind with the right hand. However, a frontal slash can't be ruled out, and the forensic doctor would need to assess the wound depth and type for a specific judgment.

Jimmy: "Please, arrange for the forensic examination as soon as possible. Also, check for any suspect's fingerprints or other biological traces, like hair."

Jimmy moved aside and beckoned Mark over, and when they were close, he spoke softly, "Mark, Wright, we're not done yet. We need to search around for anything the suspect might have left behind, be it tools or personal belongings."

"Also, no matter which security team member we get the information from, we must find out where this deceased person lived."

"The suspect wore a security uniform; he must have changed somewhere in a room, possibly that of the deceased, which means there might be remnants in that room. Understand?"

Mark nodded and glanced at Wright, saying, "Let Wright go and ask. He's more familiar with the other agents and might find it easier."

Jimmy looked at Wright: "What do you think?"

Wright nodded: "I'll head back first then; it's tough on you guys here."

After speaking, Wright turned and left. Jimmy and Mark began searching the area around the body, knowing there was a good chance it would be fruitless, but they couldn't give up easily. With so few people, the investigation was slow and time-consuming, and it wasn't until dusk that the search ended, with no results.

However, there was one good piece of news: Wright had obtained the address of that security guard, and the forensic team could check it out once they were ready.

Although there seemed to be many clues, until now, Jimmy and his team, besides obtaining a blurry surveillance video with indistinct facial features, had no more definite leads.

Jimmy sat on the bed, staring blankly. He wasn't hopeful about solving the case; after all, it was partly his doing. But as an agent with years of experience, if with known partial results, he couldn't find leads, it would be a disgrace to his profession. Even finding hidden clues and abandoning part of the inquiry would be better than the current state.

He picked up his computer from the side, sat on the bed, and reviewed the information already gathered from the Miami office investigation and the current findings. He planned to go through everything again, not missing any hint, however subtle, observing from a professional agent's standpoint.

The explosion site was offshore Miami, and the yacht explosion didn't last long, so the location was determined. To set off such an explosion, the perpetrator must have been near the yacht. It's hard to pinpoint location at sea, but he certainly set it off from another vessel. This means they were aware of the yacht's departure time and either caught up or waited offshore, with a vessel not too far from the yacht.

Considering the detonation method, with no cell signal offshore, common mobile-based signal detonations are improbable. If the suspect used satellite communication, whether via onboard base stations, that's another issue.

This signal-less detonation method typically uses infrared or timed triggers. If it's infrared, the suspect couldn't have been far; if timed, they must have started the device at the port, remote-controlling it. No matter the method, the explosion suspect was surely at the port or on another vessel. It's just a matter of pinpointing nearby vessels during the explosion, and the port's departure time records are already in hand; they could be reviewed again later.

Next, the clue was obtaining the yacht records; before reaching the Miami port, the suspect was there and had been aboard for over ten minutes, likely the time when the explosives were installed. From when Jimmy and his team arrived on the island to when Jimmy discovered climbing traces by the cliff, these were the clues they had.

Another thing, the suspect came up from the cliff, meaning they arrived and left by boat. If careless, the suspect's vessel's AIS information could be read, and checking vessel AIS data near the island could narrow down the search.

If the suspect turned off positioning earlier, it's still possible to list vessels whose AIS disappeared during that time and then reappeared later. If there were no surprises, the suspect would've had the positioning on while leaving the port.

Jimmy picked up his notebook, jotting down his thoughts, and planned to return to the Miami Port Authority to retrieve additional data once the island investigation concluded. These pieces of vessel positioning information might offer a pleasant surprise.

The island investigation must now proceed into a routine phase. Previously, surveillance identification was handled by the butler and the security captain. Now, everyone, including other servants, cleaners, and security, must be involved in identifying the individual. They may have interacted with the suspect, especially since only one person is missing. Others either didn't meet him or were brushed off, but there's always a chance they could determine his whereabouts.

Other surveillance information now needs continued investigation, but that can wait till daylight. This case has tormented them for days, and giving them a night for emotional adjustment before continuing seems wise.

Jimmy tends to be more of a night owl, one of the few with the inclination to revisit the case while seated on the bed. Mark and Wright probably have sleep on their minds, with nothing else.

Besides surveillance, perhaps they need to traverse the island once more, looking for any sign of the suspect, like leaving from another location after climbing up? In any case, discard previously known results, and treat it as a routine case; it's already delayed so much time, adding a few locations isn't an issue.