The Forensic Doctor Better Than a Detective-Chapter 614 - 342: Jiang An Hosts the Special Case Meeting Alone
He turned to look at Zhang Chao and said with a smile, "Don’t forget, ten years ago, we also started as grassroots officers."
Zhang Chao picked up the conversation, wiping his glasses as he spoke, "Exactly, solving the case is what’s important."
"Everyone is persisting, how can we make an exception?"
Jiang An’s eyes were somewhat warm.
He recalled that when he first joined the police, it was Mr. Li who taught him how to examine the scene hand-by-hand, and it was Mr. Zhang who encouraged him during his first tense field work.
Now, both of the seniors still support his work so much, and this camaraderie made his throat tighten.
"Well... Mr. Li, Mr. Zhang, please sit over here."
He pointed to the seats beside the main seat.
Li Jian, however, insisted on sitting in the back row, "Today you are the protagonist, Mr. Ma specifically mentioned. The meeting of the task force should be chaired by the task force leader."
"Alright, then I won’t refuse."
"Thank you, Mr. Li, Mr. Zhang, for your trust."
Jiang An took a deep breath and straightened his spine.
At 1:45, Jiang An surveyed the venue.
He cleared his throat, "Seniors, comrades, thank you for your hard work."
"This time was supposed to be for lunch break, but the urgency of the case allows no slack."
"Mr. Ma has emphasized many times that this cold case is not only about the dignity of a life but also involves the honor of our criminal investigation team."
"Many comrades present were involved in the investigation of this case three years ago. I believe everyone, like me, wants to give the victim’s family an explanation as soon as possible."
After a simple introduction, Jiang An got right to the point, "Now let’s summarize the investigation results of each group."
"First, please have Group 1 Leader Chen Sheng report."
Chen Sheng immediately stood up, "Mr. Jiang, our group focused on reviewing the victim’s last whereabouts."
"According to the records at the time, the victim went straight home after dining with friends that evening."
"It is particularly noteworthy that from the restaurant to the victim’s home, the death scene is located at the midpoint of the 5-kilometer route."
"We measured on-site and found that it’s exactly two kilometers from the restaurant to the pond where the body was disposed."
Jiang An suddenly interjected, "Was the lighting situation on this road section checked back then?"
"It was checked. At the time of the incident, that section of the country road only had a few scattered street lamps, with most parts unlit."
Chen Sheng wiped his sweat, "More challenging is that nearby residents said they rarely go out at night, and our investigation has not progressed."
"Thank you for your hard work."
Jiang An made a note in his notebook, "Next, please have Group 2 report."
The person in charge of Group 2, Wang Lei, said, "We combed through cases within 5 kilometers of the crime scene and found that two underground casinos were frequently active."
"According to police station archives, these two dens often had gambling disputes and involved loan sharking."
Jiang An’s eyes lit up, "What was the situation with these cases back then?"
"Did you get the list of people involved in the cases?"
"We’re contacting the police officers who handled these cases at the time," Wang Lei said, flipping through the file.
"This clue is very important!"
Jiang An interrupted, "Coupled with our morning interviews, the victim indeed had a habit of playing cards."
"Considering the time of death was early morning, there is a possibility of encountering an accident after a game ended."
"How about Group 3?"
The head of Group 3, Lin Fang, answered, "We focused on investigating the victim’s social connections."
"The victim was gentle and never had enmities with anyone, and no valuable clues were found."
After listening to the detailed report from Group 3, Jiang An nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping between Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang.
He pondered for a moment before speaking, "Mr. Li, Mr. Zhang, regarding the direction of the next step, do you have any valuable suggestions?"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Zhang first exchanged a knowing glance with Mr. Li.
Then he adjusted his sitting posture, cleared his throat, and said, "Let me say a few words first, and then Mr. Li can supplement and enhance it."
He opened the notebook in front of him, gently tapping a few times on the densely packed notes with his fingertip.
"Firstly, regarding the investigation summary just reported by each group, I also listened."
"In fact, I was involved in this case from the beginning, so I’m fairly familiar with the initial situation."
"From the current investigation results, many details basically align with the records from back then."
Mr. Zhang’s voice gradually became serious, "Although it was handled as an ordinary accident back then, our investigation procedure was still very normative."
"Given the current situation..."
He paused, fingers unconsciously tapping the table, "I think for this old case, simple interviews have limited significance and may not be very effective."
"I suggest adopting Mr. Ma’s opinion and starting from the sealed physical evidence."
"Detection technology is advancing rapidly now, and we might discover crucial evidence that was overlooked back then."
"I’ll stop here, Mr. Li, please add your input."
Mr. Li nodded solemnly, his hands crossed on the conference table, "I strongly agree with Mr. Zhang’s opinion."
"For such cold cases, we should indeed fully utilize modern technology."
He frowned slightly, his eyes appearing profound, "However, I’ve always had a question..."
His voice lowered, "Ever since this case was reopened, I’ve repeatedly contemplated this: What exactly is the motive behind the perpetrator’s crime?"
The conference room instantly fell silent, everyone holding their breath.
Mr. Li continued, "There are no signs of struggle on the victim’s body, and her belongings are intact."
"If it was a robbery, why were her phone and wallet still there?"
"If it was a premeditated murder, no motive can be found."
"Even if it was a crime of passion..."
He shook his head, "If it was dumping a body after a traffic accident, there aren’t any visible collision marks on the victim’s motorcycle."
"Moreover..." He opened the case file, "Three years ago, the traffic flow on that road at night was very low, and the road conditions were quite poor."
Mr. Li took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, "I believe the breakthrough in this case must begin with the motive and reason for the crime."
"There is no such thing as a causeless case in the world, the perpetrator must have a purpose."
He pressed his finger heavily on the table, "Unless it was committed by someone mentally ill, but the victim doesn’t bear any typical characteristics of such crimes."
"This point really is puzzling."
At this point, he slowed his pace slightly and spoke, "So I think we need to broaden our thinking and expand our range of suspects, look further and think deeper."
"Alright, that’s all I’ll say."
As soon as the words fell, Jiang An immediately picked up the conversation.
"Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang’s suggestions are very pertinent, providing us with new ideas."
"Actually, today’s meeting..." he glanced regretfully at his watch.
"If it weren’t for the special timing, Mr. Ma should have presided over it personally."
Saying this, he straightened his spine, "I’ll propose a few suggestions for the next steps in the case."
"Many of the people present are my seniors, and I ask everyone to kindly guide me."
As soon as the words fell, there was an immediate rustling of note-taking.
Everyone raised their heads, their eyes uniformly fixed on Jiang An.
Jiang An looked around, said gravely, "Regarding the subsequent investigation, I recommend starting with three aspects."
He raised his first finger, "First, comprehensively comb through all forensic evidence in the case, focusing on deep genetic testing of the vehicle’s handles and the victim’s fingernails."
His voice gradually increased, "We should fully utilize existing technological advantages to see if it is possible to detect third-party DNA, proving if anyone has contacted the victim and her motorcycle."
Then, he raised the second finger, "Second, centered on the crime scene, conduct a sweep of all underground casinos within a five-kilometer radius."
His eyes became sharp, "Focus on screening individuals with criminal records, especially those involved in robbery and other violent crimes."
Saying this, he paused for a moment. His tone suddenly became decisive, "I always feel like the motive for this case is likely related to money."
However, as soon as these words fell, the conference room suddenly surged into commotion.
People looked at each other in doubt, their faces full of confusion.
Some whispered to each other, while others frowned flipping through files, evidently surprised by this unexpected deduction.
The previously silent conference room instantly filled with the buzz of low discussions.
