The search for the weapon began and DCI Wellings had a team of officers combing the local area for any clues. On examining the body the doctor found traces of fibre and different colour hair than that of the victim. DCI Wellings immediately sent this away for DNA testing, in the hope that it would give a good lead in this case.
A police officer found the young woman's handbag about 200 yards away from where the body was found. There was no money left in the purse and this confirmed that the motive of the murder appeared to be robbery. The victim’s hands appeared sore ahs though rings had been pulled from her fingers. There was also a mark around her neck where it looks like a chain had been taken.
Back at the office DCI Wellings was waiting for the results of the autopsy and the DNA. The autopsy confirmed that the bruising on her hands and around her neck were as a result of jewellery being forcibly removed. The DCI started to check the records of known criminals who had committed similar robberies and especially those that resulted in murder.
Out at the scene an officer found a boning knife like those used by butchers. This was immediately sent to the laboratory for DNA testing. Meanwhile the DCI had found that a similar crime had been committed a number of years ago in the same area and the person responsible had not been found. As more evidence came in he decided to reopen the previous unsolved murder inquiry has there seemed to be many similarities.
DCI Wellings started to build up a picture of the suspect. The evidence so far suggested they were looking for a man who was quite strong and possibly had black hair, as this was the colour of the hair that was found on the victims clothing. Given the type of knife used and the angle of the wound into the heart, the DCI felt the suspect knew the anatomy of the organs of the body. He thought the murderer could be associated with butchery. He therefore decided to pursue his enquiries along this avenue. Of the known criminals on the database two had bad previously worked in a butcher’s shop.
DCI WEllings arranged for two teams of officers to follow up on the two suspects. They were to locate them and to check if either of them had an alibi for the time of the murder. The first team found that one of the suspects was actually out of the country at the time of the murder and therefore ruled out of the inquiry. However, the other suspect whose name was Andrew Harris, did not have an alibi for the time of the murder, he also seemed edgy whilst he was being questioned by the officers. The DCI asked the officers to bring Andrew Harris in for questioning.
