Chapter 1367

Jiang Yuan had already finished reading the autopsy report and various scene photos, and at this moment he summarized in words, saying: "Both victims were sitting in the back seat, with their hands tied behind their backs. Due to the fire being concentrated in the upper layer, both victims' heads were severely burned, and the skin on their upper bodies was basically burned away. However, during the initial autopsy, it was still easy to see that the fatal injuries to both victims' upper bodies were to the heart, one stab each, very precise."

Jiang Yuan: "I examined the rib X-rays of the two deceased after deboning. Neither showed any knife marks. This indicates the killer was extremely precise in inserting the knife through the gaps between two ribs. This is not just accuracy; it may also relate to technique and experience."

The several people present nodded as they listened.

When discussing the technique of killing, it is essentially the art of killing, and the experience accumulated over thousands of years is unknown in quantity. Simply killing with a single stab, those who are inexperienced and act rashly cannot find the correct position; those who understand but lack experience also face difficulties in actual operation.

It is like slaughtering a pig in the countryside—even a very experienced pig butcher often feels the spot with his hand before cutting, so as to avoid bones and good meat and still kill the pig with one stab. Because the pig is tied up and controlled, even if the butcher's hand is feeling the spot, the pig cannot resist.

Similarly, the bodies of the two victims were also tied up and controlled...

This indicates that the killer at least has experience, at least has engaged in work similar to that of a butcher, and understands how to kill.

The so-called clean and swift single stab requires many stabs to be practiced. No need to use the example of pig slaughter in the countryside—just consider killing a chicken. Although it is merely grabbing the chicken and wiping the neck, logically, as long as the knife is sharp and the position is correct, anyone can kill a chicken with one stab. In reality, however, few first-time novices can actually do it.

Also, don't say things like young girls or big boys who cannot bring themselves to act—there are plenty of such people. In school biology lab classes, one can also see many students who cannot kill frogs, cannot strangle white mice, cannot kill small fish...

The civilized atmosphere of modern society has significantly reduced the barbaric atmosphere of modern society, and has also made the traits of murderers scarce.

Jiang Yuan counted on his fingers and said: "Stabbing the heart with a single knife is the killing method. Binding the victim's hands behind their back to control them is the modus operandi. The binding method itself is also a characteristic—the killer has tied the victim's little finger tightly. I think we can start from these three points to see if we can find other cases to connect in series or parallel."

Liu Zhuangshi hesitated for a moment at the side, then raised his hand and said: "Regarding the aspect of connecting cases in series or parallel, we at the time also considered similar directions, but found no similar homicide cases."

"You didn't know at the time that this was a case of robbing taxis." Liu Jinghui said tactfully: "What you should have considered first at the time was confirming the victims' identities and the vehicle's identity, and only then consider connecting similar homicide cases in series or parallel."

"That's about right." Liu Zhuangshi also had nothing to be embarrassed about admitting, as this was originally the standard procedure.

"The absence of similar homicide cases does not mean the absence of similar cases." Liu Jinghui smiled and said: "Cases of robbing taxis, the perpetrators themselves have an escalatory nature. If you had known at the beginning that it was this type of case, you should have considered that robbing taxis and killing people is often the perpetrator's final stage; before that, perpetrators often repeatedly commit robberies, but not necessarily killing."

Liu Jinghui's words not only made Liu Zhuangshi's eyes light up, but also were not annoying at all, fully demonstrating the high quality of a senior provincial department official.

Liu Zhuangshi slowly nodded: "When I was handling this case, I was still working at the municipal bureau, and I had already asked someone to contact the officers who handled it at the time. The responsible comrade has already retired... If we start from considering taxi robbery cases, we can first pull out a list of cases from that year and see if we can find anything."

Liu Jinghui slowly nodded, feeling that Liu Zhuangshi was worthy of being the leader of the criminal police detachment—just a few words, he cleared responsibility, explained the situation, and expressed his personal practical spirit, showing strong leadership ability.

Bureau Chief Wu Jingwei, seeing that a conclusion had been reached, slammed the table and said: "Then let's start with this plan—take out the cases before and after this one and examine them..."

"I'll add one point." Liu Jinghui cleared his throat and said: "In the past, some perpetrators of similar cases were not only involved in taxi robberies, but also included those who disposed of stolen goods, and big brothers with underworld backgrounds—all can be found and questioned. Since these people are experienced in crime, and we suspect they have corresponding experience, they are not people living in a vacuum. In the environment of that time, there must have been people who knew them."

Wu Jingwei slowly nodded: "This point is indeed something we did not do well enough—it should be that our investigation was not meticulous enough, leading to problems... However, if the criminals from 15 years ago were only involved in robbery and disposal of stolen goods, they have all been released by now... This point, that... Xiao Li, you organize a team from the bureau, contact the comrades from the judicial bureau, and also communicate with the district bureaus and police stations below, to see if we can find as many prior offenders as possible for questioning."

If following Liu Jinghui's final suggestion, it would indicate that the Anwan Municipal Bureau, in that year's homicide case, had insufficient investigative judgment—at the very least, it also indicates they did not put in enough effort or were not smart enough.

However, after all, it is a case from 15 years ago. If one says that the public security and investigative capabilities of the two major supercities 15 years ago still had some merit, then for places like Pingzhou and Anwan, they basically relied on the old methods of veteran criminal detectives. Investigating by charging in one direction was common, consideration was not comprehensive, just like they had not attended police academy back then—it was not that they truly did not want to.

Wu Jingwei, in front of Jiang Yuan, still felt he needed to admit the mistake, but quickly used work arrangements to cover it up.

Jiang Yuan and the others followed Wu Jingwei's line of thought, and soon several people discussed specific details. After ten or so minutes, orders began to be issued layer by layer.

At this moment, Huang Qiangmin's emotions suddenly had some release.

Among those present, he and Wei Zhenguo were the most familiar, and also the only ones who had fully experienced this event as police officers. When today's special task force overlapped with the image of the special task force from 15 years ago, his psychological burden also became greater.

"Should we notify Captain Wei?" Jiang Yuan walked to Huang Qiangmin's side and asked softly.

Huang Qiangmin remained silent for several seconds, then said: "Don't rush for now."

"Then I'll go examine the remains." Jiang Yuan prepared to conduct a second autopsy thoroughly. Although, due to the passage of time, only skeletons remain, there is still a chance to obtain some information.

Liu Zhuangshi quickly arranged several meeting rooms, then had people move the massive volume of case files upstairs.

The computerization of the Anwan Municipal Bureau was implemented very late. To find case information from 15 years ago or even earlier, such as fingerprint data, it can naturally be found on the internal network. But to find the modus operandi or binding methods—especially to search for such patterns in minor cases from that year—electronic files are insufficient.

After all, given the case volume at that time, cases of robbing taxi drivers alone might have received about the same level of attention as modern cases of phone theft.

Liu Zhuangshi threw himself into the process of reviewing old case files with great enthusiasm.

At the same time, the criminal police of Ningtai County were also mobilized, under the command of Criminal Police Brigade Chief Liu Wenkai, and began the arduous and outstanding work of retracing old cases. The computerization conditions in Shannan were better than in Pingzhou but still limited, so in the end, everyone had to examine paper files.

The members of Jiang Yuan's cold case special team were also all assigned to join, and together they examined the files.

To show their importance, the leaders simply stayed in the criminal police detachment, sipping tea while boosting morale.

According to their understanding of Jiang Yuan, once the special task force is activated and Jiang Yuan enters the investigative state, the next step is celebration time.

Time passed second by second, and the tea's flavor grew increasingly faint.

Huang Qiangmin felt the familiar atmosphere, first had someone change the tea, then said: "Today may not yield results, so I think we shouldn't all stay here—let's first go back and attend to other matters..."

"That works." Bureau Chief Wu stood up and said: "If there are any further developments, notify me at any time—I am also on standby here."

"Certainly." Huang Qiangmin shook hands with Bureau Chief Wu and the others in turn.

Until everyone was sent away, Huang Qiangmin turned back, approached Liu Jinghui again, and said: "So many people are investigating, yet there is not a single bit of feedback—where do you think the problem lies?"

Liu Jinghui had been thinking all along, and at this moment said: "There are many possible situations—I am particularly worried about... the killer's leapfrog upgrade."

"From what level, leapfrogging to killing?"

"From non-injury robbery directly to robbery killing." Liu Jinghui gave a very direct answer, then looked at Huang Qiangmin and said: "You experienced that time—when taxi robberies were relatively common, some taxi drivers were robbed but did not report the crime, because writing statements and such took time, delayed earning money, and anyway, whether robbed or not, they were robbed..."

"Even if caught, no money could be recovered." Huang Qiangmin added.

Liu Jinghui nodded: "Assume a situation: the killer committed one or multiple robberies without injury, the victims did not report the crime, during one robbery process, the victim Li Huimin unexpectedly appeared—she is a police officer's relative, and in conversation she might have stimulated the killer, thereby leading to an escalation of crime..."

"The taxis in Ningtai have always allowed carpooling, and Li Huimin indeed possibly took a ride by chance. However, you and Jiang Yuan have both judged that the killer's killing method is proficient, the modus operandi is proficient. If he is a leapfrog upgrade, how did he practice to achieve this?"

"If we are to talk about possibilities, the killer might have engaged in other types of cases before—such as kidnapping, robbery, or homicide—found that robbing taxis is simpler, and thus decided to do this. Another..." Liu Jinghui paused, then said: "In the past, those who most liked to commit such taxi robbery cases were precisely those who had just completed their sentences and were released. If the killer had engaged in similar cases long ago, completed his sentence, was released, and then committed crimes again..."

Robbing taxis requires no capital, no technical skill, and even no scouting. Many ex-convicts, upon entering society, are dazed and confused. If they decide to commit crimes for money, many will subconsciously choose this model.

From a logical standpoint, Huang Qiangmin acknowledged that Liu Jinghui's reasoning made sense, but if following his reasoning to adjust the investigation scope, it would mean both expanding the types of cases and extending the time span...

"I don't want to hear possibilities—I want certainties!" Huang Qiangmin snapped, pulling Liu Jinghui back to reality.