How do you Role Play a Murder Investigation?

Hello folks, I need your help. I have seen a trend in the three Campaigns I play in a series of "Murder Investigations". What I am seeking is a step by step procedure for success.

We hav under taken a Murder Investigation to discover the TRUTH of the old the Executive Vice President of a AA Corp.

We actually need to find evidence and witnesses to testify.

How do YOU run a MURDER INVESTIGATION?

Step by Step if you please or really good links.

Thanks

QM

Haven't you ever seen a detective movie or TV show? Monk, for instance? Any of the CSI shows? Seven?

Any of those show the investigative process in action, even if it's a Hollywood-ized.

Actually, there are dozens of books available for this type of thing. I suggest you go to your closest used book store, look in the true crime section, and you'll find textbooks that help a great deal.

I have text books on criminology, forensics, and behavioral science/profiling, all of which comes into play, plus dozens of other disciplines.

I would suggest starting with; motive and opportunity. Who would want the vic dead and why? Remember the basic motives for pre-meditated murder; greed, to avoid embarassment or humiliation, jealousy, to cover up a crime, homicidial mania. I think I'm missing one but those are the basics. Who had the opportunity and ability to kill your vic? Which methods were used to commit the crime? Do those methods limit your field of suspects? Remember most murders are commited by family members or loved ones, people well known to the victim.

Forensics; establish a grid, I always prefered the square, rather than the spiral or circle. Identify, catalog, and record EVERYTHING. You never know what's important and what's not, for instance, a bit of dust on the floor near the body turns out to be ashes from a cigarette, only your victim didn't smoke. You know that whoever killed the victim not only smokes but was confident enough to stop and have a cigarette. Go through the victim's garbage, you might find a cigarette but that will render DNA evidence etc.

Anyway, that's my two cents for what its worth. The basic "murder manuals" the FBI use are about $100.00 or so, I would recommend looking for used copies. Wonderful source materials for all kinds of things though.

Cedric