Case: Death at Times Square

Location: Times Square, New York, United States

Date of Incident: 18 August 2024

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Hi Detective,

 

Background:

During the ‘roaring’ 1920s, Times Square was a mecca for publishing, theater, music and advertising. It provided a grand stage for some of America’s greatest comedy icons: Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin and Irving Berlin.

 

The Great Depression of the 1930s initiated a period of decline. Local residents moved out to cheaper neighborhoods, and popular entertainment venues were replaced by saloons, brothels and dime houses. The area gained a reputation for being seedy and dangerous.  After 50 years of seediness and so-called decline, in the 1990s, Mayor Rudy Giuliani led a controversial effort to ‘clean up’ the area by closing adult entertainment theaters, increasing security, relocating local residents and making the area more tourist-friendly. Many saw his efforts as a ‘moral panic’.  Nowadays, Times Square is one of the most visited and hashtagged places in the world. Security is tight and visitors are generally made to feel safe and at ease.

 

When street performer, Shauna Williams, was murdered there on Sunday 18 August 2024, the city was shocked and questions remain unanswered as to how one of the world’s biggest tourist attractions turned into a murder scene. You have been hired to solve the murder.

 

Your Mission:

I have compiled a list of six possible suspects: Anthony Scappa, Elijah Ellis, Janice Williams, John Fitzgerald, Moses Dumile, and Ryuichi Yamamoto.

• Start by collecting as much information as possible about these six suspects and the deceased.

• Next, determine potential motives and opportunities for each suspect, by seeking evidence of jealousy, conflicts, or disputes that may have created a motive for the crime.

• Then identify their whereabouts and activities at the date and time of the death.

• To finally solve the case, access to Shauna’s smartphone will be crucial. Dig through the evidence to find clues to what the passcode to her phone might be. Gain access to the phone by entering the passcode into the online portal. Review her communications, browsing history, and recent activities to look for evidence incriminating any one of the suspects.

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Identify The Killer:

Based on the evidence gathered, identify the most likely suspect and build a compelling case against them. Enter the name of the identified suspect on the online portal, and your reasons for suspecting them, to find out if it's correct. Your dedication and thoroughness in conducting this investigation are paramount.

 

Good luck!

- MMC Boss