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“So did Ted Bundy’s victims.”
I cock a brow. Good point. “I also noticed a joint in an ashtray. Normally, I wouldn’t think much of it, but considering the needle marks on Alyssa’s arm, I can’t ignore the drug connection there. Might be nothing, might be something, I don’t know. That said, I definitely want to dig into him more. I’d like to find out who his medical doctor is, see if he has a prescription for medical marijuana, and also if he has any cognitive issues, which would negate his statement. Evelyn, can you please own that task?”
Evelyn nods, scribbles in her daisy-printed notebook. Always the same notebook, always the same pen.
I switch focus to my notes. “I’ve got the chief requesting a warrant for the victim’s cell phone records. I’m hoping for that tomorrow.”
Sergeant Hoffman flicks his hand into the air. “You said that we don’t know if the husband knows his wife is dead. But she’s been dead for over two days—why isn’t he alarmed that he hasn’t heard from his wife in over two days? Why wouldn’t he have called us for a welfare visit?”
“I thought that very thing. Something is strange there for sure. We need to dig up everything we can on Zach Kaing. Any criminal records, social media, where he went to school, his résumé, his extended family, I want to know everything I can about him. I want to know if there was a life insurance policy on his wife, and if so, how much.”
“Do you have any reason to believe that he is involved here?”
“Not at this moment, no.”
I click back to the image of Alyssa’s body. “Let’s shift gears now. I want us all to take a moment to discuss the mutilation.”
The room falls silent. Evelyn shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
“Her eyes were X’d out. This is either the killer’s M.O.—modus operandi—or meant to be some sort of message for us.”
“According to the search I ran,” Kellan adds, “there are no crimes in the area, past or present, where the killer carved eyes. So I don’t think we’re looking for a serial killer with that particular M.O. I think this guy lives in this area and this is his first kill. Call it a gut instinct.”
“Agreed. Let’s consider the message angle.” I click to the next slide. “I did a bit of research on the symbolism of X and highlighted the ones that jumped out to me. An X symbolizes the end of something, like death. Do you remember those old cartoons where the dead characters had X’s over their eyes? Like that. There are also spiritual and occult meanings. X can also mean ‘marks the spot,’ like in a treasure hunt. Lastly—I found this one interesting—X is the symbol of a kiss.”
“Or could it be that she saw something that she wasn’t supposed to.” Evelyn offers.
I take a note. “Yes… absolutely, good job. Perhaps Mrs. Kaing saw something that she wasn’t supposed to and was killed for it.”
When no one else has anything to add, I continue. “So what does this tell us?”
The faces in the room are blank.
“It tells us that this is an emotional murder. Something as particular and risky as a postmortem carving suggests the killer had an emotional motive. It is likely someone Alyssa knew, and someone who felt wronged by Alyssa. This is punishment for something she’s done.”
“Or something she saw,” Evelyn presses her theory.
I nod. “Could be, yes.”
“So this helps narrow down the pool of suspects,” she says.
Kellan raises his hand again. “Again, I’m looking at Hoyt.”
“Hang on,” Hoffman interrupts. “You mentioned she was trying to have kids and couldn’t. This could be a motive for the husband. Maybe it’s punishment for not being able to bear his children?”
“Pretty fucking harsh punishment,” Kellan scoffs.
“Agreed,” I say, “But, yes, that’s something that can’t be overlooked. But again, if he was out of the country, it makes it less likely that he is the killer—and also, it doesn’t allow for either means or opportunity.”
“He could have paid someone to do it.”
“Fair point.”
“What about her family?”
“Tracking them down is one of the first things I’m going to do today,” I glance down at my notebook, overflowing with a hundred little scribbles. Thoughts, theories, facts, a random Christmas tree. “I’m going to identify who they are and interview them personally. Her maiden name is Smith and she was born in Houston, so I’ll start there. My plan is to have a solid victim profile by lunch, going all the way back to junior high school.”
“Somebody has to know something.”
