 Mystery: April 03, 2024 Issue [#12489] |
This week: It’s still a mystery Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week:
"Mystery spread its cloak across the sky.
We lost our way.
Shadows fell from trees.
They knew why."
~From "House of Four Doors" by the Moody Blues |
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In most mystery stories, the puzzle is solved at the end. The killer is caught, the treasure is discovered, or the lost person is found.
In real life, many mysteries are never solved. According to some experts, more than half of murders and other serious crimes in the US are never solved.
There are many reasons a crime may go unsolved. There may be no witnesses, or witnesses might be afraid to get involved, or might lie for their own reasons. The guilty party may have done a good job of cleaning up or destroying evidence. Even if evidence such as fingerprints or DNA is found, it is only useful if there is a suspect to compare it to. The police will collect fingerprints and DNA from their known suspects but the real perpetrator may not be among them. If the person does not have a record and does not have DNA or fingerprints on file for other reasons, there will be nothing to compare. Also, while investigators in TV shows or movies seem to just work on one case at a time, real police officers are often forced to deal with high case loads and budget restrictions that prevent them from doing a through investigation.
In general, the chance of solving a crime decreases as time goes on. Suspects and witnesses move out of the area or die, evidence deteriorates, and people's memories grow fainter or less reliable. Police are constantly faced with new cases, so investigation of older ones may have to take a back burner in favor of newer ones that are more likely to be solved.
Here are some famous cases that have never been solved:
Jack the Ripper
The world's most famous serial killer was responsible for the murders of at least five women in the Whitechapel district of London during the late 1880s. Due to the nature of the killings, butchers, slaughterers, physicians, and surgeons were suspected, but no viable suspect was ever found.
Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart was a famous aviatrix who disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. It is generally assumed that her plane ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. However, no trace of Amelia, her navigator, Fred Noonan, or her airplane have ever been found.
Disappearance of the Roanoke Colony
The Roanoke Colony was founded in 1585 by Sir Walter Raleigh as an attempt to establish the first permanent English settlement in North America. The colony was founded on Roanoke Island in present day Dare County in North Carolina. The colony became short on supplies and a resupply mission was delayed. Further missions were delayed until 1590 by the Anglo-Spanish War. Those who returned at that time found the settlement abandoned. The word CROATOAN was found carved into the palisade surrounding the settlement. This message was taken to mean that the colonists had relocated to Croatoan Island, now called Hatteras Island. A massive storm prevented further searches, and no trace of the approximately 120 colonists was ever found.
Something to try: Write a mystery story in which characters attempt to solve a famous cold case. Maybe they start out trying to solve one case and end up solving another. |
| | Twenty-nine (13+)
There's some things in this world you can't explain. (2142 w) Winner: 2020 Quill Awards.
#2235558 by Nightkeeper  |
|  | Two Films (18+)
I discover two films that recorded events during and after WW2.
#2301514 by Kotaro  |
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| Question for next time: What subjects would you like to see discussed in future mystery newsletters? |
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