Kogorous Riddle Thread and eworms Deduction Thread

[M.Holmes]

So here's a *updated* compilation of facts:

Spoiler:

-The cause of death was a broken neck

-The victim was not murdered prior to entering the room

-The victims body lay 150 feet into the room from the door (the center) under the lightbulb

-The pencil lies 5 inches from the body and is slightly chipped on the tip

-The room has air (lol)

-No windows and only one entrance (the door)

-*The only contents of the room that are relevant to the case are the body, the pencil, the key (in lock), the lightbulb, and the lightswitch (i.e. there wouldn't
be something crucial to the case omitted like residue from an elaborate trick, right? Or if there was some type of elaborate trick that used items not mentioned,
they are now completely absent from the room.)*

- Once the key was placed in the lock, nothing or no one entered or left the room

- The door opens to the right and as you walk in, the lightswitch is on the left (The side of the door with the knob and lock)

-The lock is a dead-bolt type that can't be used unless the door is fully shut

- The lock has a keyhole on both sides

-*Some of the items in the room are indicative of the motive for the murder*

-The lightbulb is on the ceiling, 300 feet up from the body

-The lightbulb does work and has no damage or *tampering*

-The pencil fell out after the murder

*one of the facts is likely incorrect, the most likely of being incorrect are mark with a *

[sstimson]

So here's a compilation of facts (please correct any that are incorrect):

Spoiler:

-The cause of death was a broken neck

-The victim was not murdered prior to entering the room

-The victims body lay 50 feet into the room from the door (the center) under the lightbulb

-The pencil lies 5 inches from the body and is slightly chipped on the tip

-The room has air (lol)

-No windows and only one entrance (the door)

-The only contents of the room that are relevant to the case are the body, the pencil, the key (in lock), the lightbulb, and the lightswitch (i.e. there wouldn't
be something crucial to the case omitted like residue from an elaborate trick, right? Or if there was some type of elaborate trick that used items not mentioned,
they are now completely absent from the room.)

- Once the key was placed in the lock, nothing or no one entered or left the room

- The door opens to the right and as you walk in, the lightswitch is on the left (The side of the door with the knob and lock)

-The lock is a dead-bolt type that can't be used unless the door is fully shut

-Some of the items in the room are indicative of the motive for the murder

-The lightbulb is on the ceiling, 100 feet up from the body

-The lightbulb does work and has no damage or tampering

-The pencil fell out after the murder

Nice summation. There is only one thing I might change and that is the distance from things.

I did say 100 feet ,but then I remembered that is like 33 yards or 1/3 of a football field.
I would have preferred that it be 100 Yards in all directions as that Might remove the idea of any trick using walls.
The idea is there is a dead body in an empty field, then add walls and the door. A light switch for light, and a pencil to give a little clue and make one think. In a empty field they would be no challenge so it gets moved inside. To remove any more ideas of tricks, the walls are completely smooth with no holes any where. The room is air tight, but as it is a huge room, there is lots of air. And everything found in the room has been mentioned. I will add this to more kill possible tricks. There is no sign of struggle as seen by the dust on the floor, and one set of footprint to the body location and one set back.

Also As I reread you notes, I do see what is likely to be an incorrect point, but telling you which one would give the game away.

Have fun  >:D

[M.Holmes]

I see! One more clarification:

I would have preferred that it be 100 Yards in all directions

Does that include up (to the lightbulb)?

[sstimson]

I see! One more clarification:

I would have preferred that it be 100 Yards in all directions

Does that include up (to the lightbulb)?

yes that would

[c-square]

Theory #3:

Spoiler:

Captain Kirk carries the drugged victim into the center of the room, where he breaks the victim's windpipe, killing him.
Captain Kirk then walks back to the door and puts the key in, locking the door.
The force proof force field goes up.
Captain Kirk then gets Scotty to beam him out of the room (as the force field doesn't block teleportation)

[M.Holmes]

We can probably go ahead and assume that in this particular murder, the culprit is not a fictional character with magical powers or futuristic technology.

[sstimson]

Theory #3:

Spoiler:

Captain Kirk carries the drugged victim into the center of the room, where he breaks the victim's windpipe, killing him.
Captain Kirk then walks back to the door and puts the key in, locking the door.
The force proof force field goes up.
Captain Kirk then gets Scotty to beam him out of the room (as the force field doesn't block teleportation)

We can probably go ahead and assume that in this particular murder, the culprit is not a fictional character with magical powers or futuristic technology.

True, but C-squared is making this fun, so since the light is on , its magnetic field interferes with transporters. And any time the beams starts, the anti-telporter security come on, and turns on the light. Remember this is a very high security area. It would not do to have any high tech thieves steal anything from an empty Room. So we got anti-teleport(Star-trek), anti force force field(Star Wars), and the room is built to prevent any space folding (Robotech), and you can not gate into it ( Stargate). There is a theory you might be able to turn off these defenses, but to do so you must wear the one ring since that switch is in the heart of mount Doom. ( Of Course, that just a theory)

[M.Holmes]

I seem to have overlooked a piece of information that is probably crucial - the door has a keyhole on both sides.

Working theory:

Spoiler:

The culprit forced the victim to the middle of the  room via sleeping pills/blackmail/gunpoint or some other means. The culprit then snaps his neck and exits the room. Key in hand, he locks the door from the outside and dismantles the lock and swaps it so the key is in the lock on the inside.

Re-reading it, it doesn't seem likely to be the answer you're looking for, but there's not much else to deduce that I can think of. Originally I thought the culprit tricked the victim into locking the door and then killing him somehow, but that's impossible with the contents (or lack thereof) within the room.

Unknowns: Light bulb, light switch, pencil. All just red herrings that are irrelevant to the case perhaps? You mention something early about them possibly being a hint behind the motive of the killer? Possibly just more misdirection?  

If anyone could actually correctly deduce any kind of motive from the information given, I'd Paypal you $100. All there is to go on is a pencil.

Motive Deduction #1: Victim was student who was a bully, a classmate he bullied murdered him

Motive Deduction #2: Victim was an office worker. Caught boss embezzling money and tried to blackmail him, the boss silenced him

Motive Deduction #3: Victim was a building inspector who forgot his clipboard. Was going to condemn the owners massive warehouse due to asbestos

All are tongue-in-cheek as well as massive leaps in logic, so I can't help but think the possibility of the items being relevant to the murder, much less the motive is anything other than misdirection

It's a frustrating (albeit difficult) case due to the unrealistic lack of detail. The culprit is easily the most talented killer in history.

[sstimson]

I like #2 and #3 After all a store room should not be empty right? What might be missing?
#3 clipboard has something incriminating on it so killer took it with them.

Most dead bolts are setup to be dismantles or installed so it can only be done from the inside. That is the case here.

[MDavid]

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[sstimson]

Just for fun:

Spoiler:

Victim entered the room, turned on the lights, locked the door then started walking in the room. After some time the culprit caused a blackout. The victim was so surprised he quickly looked up to the ceiling. He twisted his neck, fell and broke it.

While wearing slipproof shoes?

I will make this clear. The murderer while in the same room murdered the victim.

[M.Holmes]

Occam's razor then:

Spoiler:

Culprit breaks victims neck, places key in deadbolt, and exits the room. Lock-pick in hand, he locks the deadbolt from the outside.

[MDavid]

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[MDavid]

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[M.Holmes]

Brilliant, eh?