The Cross | A Short movie | Department of Forensics | A Murder Mystery |

Summary

A retired detective, Officer Devaka, is called back into action to solve a series of gruesome murders of young women, each killed at the exact age of 18 years and 7 days. The victims share eerie similarities: all were stabbed, had a cross on their left wrist, and showed signs of struggle. As the investigation progresses, Devaka uncovers the twisted link between the killer and the victims, leading to a shocking revelation about the murderer’s identity. With a psychological obsession and a left-handed signature, the case that once haunted Devaka finally reaches its chilling conclusion.

Takeaways

• 😀 The murders involve three young women, all stabbed to death under similar circumstances: Akshata on April 14th, Shruti on April 26th, and Jyoti on May 9th.
• 😀 A unique detail connects the victims: each has a cross on their left wrist, marking a pattern in the killings.
• 😀 The victims were all murdered at exactly the age of 18 years and 7 days, adding an eerie consistency to the timeline.
• 😀 Forensic evidence from the crime scenes includes traces of anti-setting spray, which is used exclusively in printing presses.
• 😀 DNA evidence from cases 2 and 3 matched perfectly, suggesting the same person is responsible for all three murders.
• 😀 There were signs of struggle at the crime scenes, including bloodstains on victims' teeth (signifying attempts to bite the murderer).
• 😀 The investigation initially points to a watchman working at the college where the victims studied, but this leads to a false suspect.
• 😀 The true killer's identity becomes clearer after analyzing the depth of the cross cut in the last murder, indicating the killer might be left-handed.
• 😀 The detective, Officer Devaka, is haunted by the case, which ended his career years ago, showing the psychological toll of unresolved cases.
• 😀 The final revelation ties the murders to a personal connection with the detective’s own daughter, bringing a full-circle resolution to the case.

Q & A

What is the main connection between the three victims in the script?

All three victims—Akshata, Shruti, and Jyoti—were stabbed to death and had a cross on their left wrist. Additionally, they were all murdered at the exact same age of 18 years and 7 days.

What unusual clue was found at the crime scenes?

At the crime scenes, traces of anti-setting spray, a powder used in printing presses, were found. This suggests a connection to the printing industry, which is important for the investigation.

What was the significance of the blood stains on the victims' teeth?

The blood stains on the victims' teeth indicated that the victims tried to bite their murderer during the struggle, which provided forensic evidence of their resistance at the time of the attack.

How were the DNA evidence from cases 2 and 3 important to the investigation?

The DNA evidence collected from cases 2 and 3 were a perfect match, suggesting that the same person was responsible for both murders.

What was the initial theory about the murderer’s identity?

The initial theory pointed to the watchman who worked at the same college as the three victims. The victim’s mother suspected him, and his DNA matched hair strands found at the crime scene.

What led to the mistaken arrest of the watchman?

The mistake occurred because the investigators obtained hair strands from the watchman’s comb, but it turned out the real killer had planted these strands. The match with the watchman's DNA was thus misleading.

What is the significance of the cross on the victims' wrists?

The cross on the victims’ left wrists is a unique symbol, linking the murders together. The cross was deep and neat on the first three victims, but shallow and sloppy on the fourth victim, suggesting a change in the killer’s approach.

What was the key insight about the killer's handedness?

It was hypothesized that the killer was left-handed because of the neatness of the crosses on the first three victims, but for the fourth victim, the cross was poorly done, indicating the killer had to use their right hand. This insight helped narrow down the search.

What emotional impact did the case have on the retired officer, Vikram?

The case haunted Vikram for 10 years, as it was the last case he worked on before retiring. He experienced nightmares and was deeply troubled by the unsolved murders.

What was the final breakthrough in solving the case?

The final breakthrough came when the killer’s DNA was linked to the second and third murders, and a discrepancy in the cross on the last victim’s wrist revealed the killer was left-handed, but had to use his right hand for the fourth murder due to an injury.