Chapter 869 - 807: Investigating the Murder Weapon
"If the perpetrator is one individual, then our prior investigative direction has been completely wrong."
Lei Xin’s frustration flashed and was gone. Being an experienced detective himself, he knew that mistakes were part of the norm.
Most investigations are a matter of trial and error; no one can claim a hundred percent certainty in cracking a case. Niu Tang, the forensic doctor from Qianjin District, was also skilled. His performance in past homicide cases had been noteworthy, particularly when it came to the identification of various paper materials. Niu Tang could even be considered a master in this area, with technical investigators from many provinces and cities traveling long distances just to have Niu Tang personally conduct a paper examination.
That three different wound patterns could be made by a single knife was a conclusion only a forensic expert like Jiang Yuan would dare to make from just looking at the photographs.
Lei Xin quickly tossed aside the issue of accountability and turned his head, "In that case, the perpetrator’s motive for the crime is likely not robbery."
"Carrying a cleaver alone is inconvenient if it’s for a home burglary," Liu Jinghui analyzed further. "If it were three people, having one carry a long-handled weapon is normal. But for a single person, carrying a heavy cleaver that weighs several pounds serves no purpose. If there’s a need to carry a knife, one would presumably carry one of better quality."
Liu Jinghui spoke in a somewhat casual, conversational tone, "The weight of a cleaver is at least equivalent to the weight of a bag a woman might carry. If it’s for a home burglary for profit, bringing along such a cleaver is very cost-ineffective."
"For self-defense?" Wang Chuanxing threw in a comment, more to prompt further discussion.
Liu Jinghui continued along this line of thought, "For self-defense, a small knife would suffice. Nowadays, people tend to avoid fighting with someone wielding a knife. Besides, the quality of that knife was so poor—to the point that it notched after a few chops and then broke after a few more—clearly, it wasn’t meant for attacking someone. It looks more like a knife bought on the spur of the moment."
"Impulse crime?" Lei Xin straightened up, frowning deeply.