Chapter 540: Chapter 540: Background Investigation

Before the case analysis meeting, Lu Chuan logged into the household registration system and found some basic information about Zhang Huiru.

After Liu Guodong distributed the printed materials to everyone, he continued the report.

"The Crime Scene Investigation team conducted a thorough inspection of the scene. From the current situation, there is only one set of footprints at the scene."

The photo switched on the projector, showing footprints made by high heels at the scene.

"According to the crime scene investigation results, the perpetrator seemed to have carried the victim down the slope from the walkway."

"After hooking the victim’s neck with the victim’s shoelace, the perpetrator staged the appearance of the victim hanging themselves."

The last footprint photo was under the corpse.

They were dense, with many overlapping.

Lu Chuan switched the projector image again to show the Footprint Identification and Analysis report.

"Lu, please present the next part."

Lu Chuan nodded and continued the report: "Based on the length, width, and depth of the footprints left on the ground, the perpetrator is estimated to be a woman between 1.79 to 1.8 meters tall and aged 25 to 30."

"The victim herself was 1.58 meters tall; the perpetrator was more than 20 centimeters taller, which allowed her to suspend the victim’s body on a tree branch without using any other tools. This also indicates that the perpetrator is physically strong and powerful."

"Additionally, we found some hair and fabric fibers on the branches and trunk at the scene."

"DNA analysis of the hair has been completed, and unfortunately, the hair belongs to the victim, not the perpetrator."

"However, the fabric fibers we discovered are different from the clothing fibers on the victim’s body."

"The victim was wearing cotton clothing, but the fibers on the tree are synthetic fibers."

"The perpetrator probably left these behind."

"These are some of the conclusions from the Crime Scene Investigation."

Qin Yong nodded, acknowledging that the conclusions from the Crime Scene Investigation were quite good, especially the footprint identification and analysis report regarding the suspect.

A woman around 1.8 meters tall is a distinctive feature, and it’s unlikely that the victim had many female friends of such height around her.

The investigation’s next step is clear: to conduct an interpersonal relationship investigation of the victim.

"Zhang Hui, the investigation of the victim’s social background will be handled by your group."

"Understood!"

"According to the footprint analysis from the Crime Scene Investigation, the suspect’s height is quite distinctive. Focus on checking if there are any women around 1.8 meters tall near the victim Zhang Huiru."

Zhang Hui nodded. The case now seems relatively simple.

Zhang Huiru’s murder most likely involved someone she knew.

Given the peculiar location where the body was disposed of, it seems that Zhang Huiru followed the perpetrator to Five-Flower Mountain, where she was then murdered on the walkway.

The perpetrator then carried her into the woods, staging a hanging.

Since Zhang Huiru disappeared half a month ago, they only need to find out whom she went out with on the day she disappeared, which might solve the case.

The case analysis meeting concluded quickly, leaving Lu Chuan with some finishing work, and Shen Yan had similar tasks, so they both had to work overtime tonight.

Stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, shredded potatoes!

This was the food at the canteen tonight.

The Criminal Investigation Team has a custom of not serving meat dishes on the day a corpse is discovered, as a rule of thumb.

Of course, this depends on the specific situation. If it’s a normal corpse, meat dishes are served as usual.

However, with a decomposed corpse like today, nobody would find dishes like steamed pork or sweet and sour ribs appetizing.

So the canteen prepared some plain vegetarian dishes.

This is also to accommodate the team members who went out for field duty. As for the office staff, they could bear with it for one meal.

Since most of the work was completed during the day, the overtime at night wasn’t particularly long.

The investigation work of the action group couldn’t proceed at night and needed to head to the Maria Plastic Surgery Hospital where Zhang Huiru worked early the next morning for investigation.

So, unusually after a homicide case, everyone finished work relatively early today.

"Lu Chuan... after this case is over... shall we take a trip to the Great Buddha Temple?"

Forensic Doctor Shen sniffled; nobody wanted these kinds of occurrences.

The last time, after a long period without going out, the two happily went camping, only to encounter a dry body case.

This time, they planned to enjoy autumn’s beautiful scenery but unexpectedly came across a decomposed body.

Lu Chuan was also a bit annoyed, wondering why they always stumbled upon such incidents whenever they went out.

"Sure, once this case is solved, we shall go."

"By the way..."

Lu Chuan turned to look at Shen Yan: "Uhm... I have something to discuss with you?"

Hmm?

Shen Yan turned her head, looking at Lu Chuan in surprise.

In Shen Yan’s impression, she rarely saw Lu Chuan hesitant like this.

"What’s going on?"

"Well... it’s like this... my dad said... uhm... when... there is time... to meet with Director Shen?"

"Meet?"

"Aren’t they acquainted? Didn’t you tell me a while back that your dad made a substantial donation to our bureau?"

"Yes, they know each other. My dad said this meeting is... to talk about us."

About us?

Shen Yan immediately understood, her face blushing involuntarily.

She spoke in a quieter voice: "Oh, my dad usually doesn’t work overtime on weekends, he should be free..."

A deputy director wouldn’t typically have to work on weekends, especially since Shen Yan’s father was in charge of traffic, which had relatively less pressure compared to criminal investigation.

"Okay, there’s no issue on my end, available anytime."

"Could you let your dad know?"

"Yes, of course."

The next morning.

As usual, Lu Chuan picked up Shen Yan downstairs.

"How did it go?"

As soon as they met, Lu Chuan eagerly asked about how the communication went last night.

"What situation?"

Today, Forensic Doctor Shen wore a white turtleneck, accentuating her tall figure.

"The meeting over the weekend."

This was a leading question.

"Oh, that matter, no problem."

Whew...

Lu Chuan breathed a sigh of relief: "Let’s go, we’re off!"

After a brief gathering, Zhang Hui and others from the Criminal Investigation Team headed straight to the Maria Plastic Surgery Hospital.

Last night, Zhang Hui and others had already studied the file on Zhang Huiru’s disappearance.

It was Zhang Huiru’s college roommate, with whom she shared an apartment, who first noticed her disappearance.

However, at that time, her college roommate did not report it, thinking she was working overtime, and, after unsuccessfully trying to reach her by phone, went to Zhang Huiru’s workplace.

The hospital also assumed that Zhang Huiru was not at work and was trying to contact her, and it was only after both parties met that they realized she was not at home nor at work.

As a result, the hospital reported her missing in an official capacity.