[JenBurdoo] It was YOU!

[JenBurdoo1]

In 13th-century Japan, how did insects help solve a murder?

[Sundowner64]

insects: species in their natural habitat? insects brought especially to that place to help investigate the murder? insects generally used for criminal investigation in that time? bees? flies? beetles? butterflies? dragonflies? adult insects? eggs? larvae? pupae?
help solve a murder: help to discover that a murder took place? help to establish the cause of death? help to convict the murderer? help to find the victim?
motive of murder: political? family? jealousy? rage? hatred? money? inheritance? dynasty? robbery?
was the victim famous?
was the perpetrator famous?

[JenBurdoo1]

insects: species in their natural habitat? This. insects brought especially to that place to help investigate the murder? insects generally used for criminal investigation in that time? No. bees? flies? This. beetles? butterflies? dragonflies? adult insects? This. eggs? larvae? pupae?
help solve a murder: help to discover that a murder took place? help to establish the cause of death? help to convict the murderer? This. help to find the victim?
motive of murder: political? family? jealousy? rage? hatred? money? inheritance? dynasty? robbery? Irr.
was the victim famous? No.
was the perpetrator famous? No.

[Sarisberie2]

Were the flies in the right place, the expected place, at the expected time, lifecycle relevant? E.g. would you have expected different flies, or flies at a different stage in their lifecycle? Did the insects eat the clothes? Did they eat the victim? Relevant when the murder was discovered? Was there one species or many? Extinction relevant?

[Sarisberie2]

Also... to clarify, roughly when (dates) did the murder take place, get solved?

[JenBurdoo1]

Were the flies in the right place, This. the expected place, at the expected time, lifecycle relevant? E.g. would you have expected different flies, or flies at a different stage in their lifecycle? No. Did the insects eat the clothes? No. Did they eat the victim? No. Relevant when the murder was discovered? Mildly - assume immediately. Was there one species or many? Assume this. Extinction relevant? No.

Also... to clarify, roughly when (dates) did the murder take place, get solved? 1220, IIRC. I haven't got the book I found it in in front of me. Assume it was solved no more than a few days after its occurrence.

[Sarisberie2]

Did the insects cause the murder? Did someone use the insects to murder the victim? Were the insects alive or dead when used? Were they beetles? Number or dose of insects relevant? (Can I invoke number list please? ) motive relevant?

[JenBurdoo1]

Did the insects cause the murder? No. Did someone use the insects to murder the victim? No. Were the insects alive or dead when used? Alive. Were they beetles? Flies. Number or dose of insects relevant? No. (Can I invoke number list please? Assume half a dozen.) motive relevant? No.

[Sarisberie2]

Can we assume that the insects formed no part in the murder itself? Were they relevant before, during or after? WAG - were they silk worm flies? Was there a thing used in the murder which drew the interest of the flies? Or an action?

[JenBurdoo1]

Can we assume that the insects formed no part in the murder itself? Yes. Were they relevant before, during or after? After. WAG - were they silk worm flies? No. Was there a thing used in the murder which drew the interest of the flies? Yes. Or an action? No.

[GalFisk]

Were the flies attracted to: poop? Manure? Rotten vegetable? Rotten meat? Did they relevantly: eat something? Lay eggs? Circle an area? Gather? Crawl?

[Sarisberie2]

Was the murder of a human? Weapon: was food used in the murder? Club, knife, sword, poison, shock, drowning, falling, suffocation, strangling, gun, other weapon? Relevant?

[JenBurdoo1]

Were the flies attracted to: poop? Manure? Rotten vegetable? Rotten meat? None of these. Did they relevantly: eat something? Lay eggs? Circle an area? This. Gather? This. Crawl? This.

[Sundowner64]

Was there a long time between the murder and the moment when the victim was found? between the murder and the conviction of the murderer?
Natural decay of the victim relevant?
Was it immediately clear when the victim was found that he/she was murdered? or did people first assume natural cause of death? accident? suicide?
Was the victim H/A/M (when still alive)? Was the killer H/A/M?
Were the flies at some point near the victim? near the killer? near the weapon?
Did the flies show up whiile police was investigating this place?
Were the flies attracted by traces of blood on the weapon?

[Sarisberie2]

Did you miss my post from Apr 12 please?

[JenBurdoo1]

Whoops, sorry Sarisbarie!

Was the murder of a human? Yes. Weapon: was food used in the murder? No. Club, knife, sword, poison, shock, drowning, falling, suffocation, strangling, gun, other weapon? Other weapon. Relevant? Only in that a weapon was involved.

Was there a long time between the murder and the moment when the victim was found? No. between the murder and the conviction of the murderer? No.
Natural decay of the victim relevant? No.
Was it immediately clear when the victim was found that he/she was murdered? Yes. or did people first assume natural cause of death? accident? suicide? None of these.
Was the victim H/A/M (when still alive)? Was the killer H/A/M? Assume yes to all.
Were the flies at some point near the victim? near the killer? near the weapon? This.
Did the flies show up whiie police was investigating this place? No.
Were the flies attracted by traces of blood on the weapon? Yes.



Spoiler:



Investigators determined that the victim had been killed by a sickle blade like those used by farmers. They ordered all farmers to present their sickles for inspection. Despite vigorous cleaning, flies detected traces of blood on the murderer's blade and congregated around it.