Case 7.1.5: Double Back

1

I suppose I'll tell Emma that Mitch is no longer a prime suspect. This should give her some peace of mind.

I also need to ask Emma about Connor, I'll go talk to her now.

 

Emma: I knew it, I knew Mitch couldn't have been connected to the disappearance... Connor seemed okay at first, but then when I learned that Rich was getting drugs from him... I stopped liking Connor.

 

Wow... So many details were just never mentioned. Had I known this from the start, I probably would have investigated Connor more...

 

Emma: Honestly, Connor didn't seem like a bad guy though. I just wasn't too into the whole drugs thing.

 

We'll see. I'll tell Emma that I have to go. Connor definitely has more information about Rich Rivera. I need to find out more.

The more I find out, the more twisted this cold case becomes...

 

Go Over the Facts

 

Suspect List

2

Emma just revealed that Connor is a drug dealer. That explains his strange schedule and no apparent day job. I didn't see any drug-dealing behavior from Connor though. Also, I know that Rich and Connor texted each other, but very minimally. The texts regarding a meet-up spot must have been for the drugs... That's pretty much all I know about Connor.

 

3

Emma was hiding a lot from me initially. I don't think she is guilty... she could be, but I don't think she is. I think she was hiding details from me for a very different reason. She regrets her actions and didn't want to admit that she made mistakes in the past, but once she got it off her chest... it seemed like she felt better. Emma was involved with Mitch and Rich, and she knows Connor... She's the center piece to this puzzle.

 

4

Tyler was Rich's best childhood friend. He seemed genuinely concerned for his best friend. I don't think Tyler had any role in Rich's disappearance. Tyler also disclosed some not-so-attractive qualities about Emma Windale, such as when she was using Rich for money.

 

5

Mitch is angered very easily and gets aggressive quickly. Mitch and Rich had a falling out over some conflict with Emma Windale. Mitch probably doesn't have anything to do with the disappearance of Rich Rivera because he's still willing to talk to me with no lawyer and supplied lots of evidence that he was on vacation during the time of Rich's disappearance. Unless Mitch is incredibly crafty... I think he could be innocent.

 

6

Jesse was Rich's gateway to the parties he attended. Jesse died in a fatal car crash last year, along with his girlfriend Lindsay. Jesse was in Arizona at the time. My gut tells me Jesse was not involved with Rich's disappearance, but because so much is still uncertain about Jesse and Rich's relationship, I need to keep Jesse as a suspect in my mind. More details pop up constantly that could shift Jesse up my suspect list.

 

7

April is the one who hired me initially. I don't know if she told her husband about her plan to hire an investigator or not. April always wants to help me and replies instantly to my text messages. I think April is just a grieving soul that wants answers.

 

8

I know that Mark Rivera works with the Sinaloa Cartel. I also know that Mark hides all of this from his wife... but for a good reason. Mark wants to keep April safe. I know that Mark prioritizes finding his son over his own life... because he risks hiring an investigator. He mentioned that the cartel could kill him for this.

 

9

My list of suspects is as follows:

  • Connor Oswald - most probable
  • Mitch Reese - less likely
  • Jesse Wolf - very unlikely
  • The Sinaloa - very unlikely
  • Emma Windale - extremely unlikely
  • Tyler Redman - extremely unlikely
  • Mark Rivera - extremely unlikely
  • April Rivera - extremely unlikely
  • Rich Rivera (suicide) - extremely unlikely

 

10

Connor Oswald is my new prime suspect. I knew he dealt drugs to Rich, and many times Oswald was also very brief with me and said he had to go... even though he didn't go anywhere after that. This is very concerning to me because most of the other people were willing to talk with me much longer and gave me much more concrete information on Rich...

 

11

Mitch is now my second suspect because he gave me a lot of documents that could place him in Mexico during the time of Rich's disappearance. Something still seems off about Mitch though, why didn't he tell me about this vacation last time we spoke?

 

12

The remaining people, including the cartel, I've marked as unlikely. I think my only real leads are Mitch and Connor, and more so Connor Oswald.

 

 

13

I want to ask Tyler about Connor Oswald.

If Tyler knows Connor, he could give me a lot of important details.

 

*Call Tyler Redman*

 

The phone is ringing... hopefully, he picks up.

 

Jonathan: Hi, is this Tyler Redman? It's Jonathan.

Tyler: Yeah, hi. How are you?

Jonathan: Good, good. I just wanted to ask you about Connor Oswald.

Tyler: Connor? Eh, maybe I heard the name? I can't remember, honestly...

Jonathan: He was Rich's friend, you don't know Connor?

Tyler: I don't want to give fake info, so... Yeah, I don't know that guy.

Jonathan: Hmm, interesting. Connor must have not been a close friend of Rich's then?

Tyler: Well, I rarely ever spent time with Rich when he was with others.

Jonathan: Oh, okay, I see. Thank you, Tyler, that was all I needed.

Tyler: Yep, no problem. See you.

 

*Hang up the phone*

 

Well, that's unfortunate... I was hoping for more information...

 

What are my options?

 

14

This is probably my best move from here. I need to know more about my prime suspect.

 

15

This will be my second course of action if spying on Connor doesn't yield any new information.

 

16

I won't do that just yet, I need more solid evidence of Connor's guilt.

 

Conclude Investigation

1. Why is Rich Rivera (suicide) the least likely?

  • Suicide victims are usually found quickly
  • Rich was not depressed
  • Rich had a lot of friends to talk to about depression

 

2. Why is Connor the new prime suspect?

  • Connor was Rich's enemy
  • Connor and Rich had a falling out
  • Connor is a drug dealer
  • Connor lied and spoke very briefly with me to conceal his guilt

 

3. Why is Mitch now my second suspect?

  • He likely could have been in Mexico from April 4th to the 11th
  • He is aggressive... but he's not a killer
  • He was friends with Rich before they had a big fight... so he wouldn't kill him

 

4. Why is the Sinaloa an unlikely suspect?

  • The drug cartel wouldn't kill the son of a trusted member
  • The drug cartel would have also killed Mark Rivera if they killed Rich
  • The cartel doesn't kill innocent people

Correct Answers

1. Why is Rich Rivera (suicide) the least likely?

  • Suicide victims are usually found quickly

 

2. Why is Connor the new prime suspect?

  • Connor lied and spoke very briefly with me to conceal his guilt

 

3. Why is Mitch now my second suspect?

  • He likely could have been in Mexico from April 4th to the 11th

 

4. Why is the Sinaloa an unlikely suspect?

  • The drug cartel would have also killed Mark Rivera if they killed Rich