A meeting was set up for five o’clock at our district. Word from Lutz was that Patrol had found building-mounted cameras, and although they weren’t within Washington Park itself, several of them faced the roads that led into it. A camera was located on an apartment building at Sixtieth and St. Lawrence Street and another at the intersections of Best Drive, Sixtieth Street, and South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Every vehicle that entered the park would be caught on surveillance and also written down on the list our officers compiled.
According to Don, the victim was dumped after midnight but before six o’clock in the morning. Those parameters gave lividity time to settle in and rigor, too, which had already begun. We would start by viewing the vehicles that had entered the park at the midnight mark.
Lutz wanted all of us—including every district officer and patrol unit that had worked the Washington Park scene—to join in. We had to compare notes.
Men in both suit jackets and uniforms filled the conference room. Lutz, along with Commander Abrams from Patrol, sat side by side at the head of the table, and officers lined the wall.
Lutz slipped on his glasses and coughed into his fist, his way of calling the meeting to order. A hush fell over the room.
“Sounds like we may have leads to follow. One of the callers to the tip line mentioned seeing two hooded figures walking toward Bixler Park with a wagon in tow at four thirty yesterday morning. It’s obviously a long shot since we don’t have an ID as to whether they’re male or female, old or young, nor do we have a vehicle. But in order for the man found in Washington Park to get to the location where he was discovered, there would have to be a way to transport him there too. That path isn’t wide enough for a typical vehicle to drive all the way to the dump site, and we didn’t see tire tracks in the dirt or grass. That leads me to believe the second John Doe could have been taken back there in a wagon. I’m confident the two-person theory is correct.” He checked all of our expressions then continued. “I’ll admit, one very strong man could probably drag the vic back into the woods, but it was a good twelve hundred feet from the point where a car can’t go any farther to the place where he was found. A tough job at best, and Forensics didn’t see any drag marks.” Lutz turned the meeting over to Commander Mark Abrams, who nodded a thank-you and began.
“My patrol units discovered several cameras, spoke with the superintendents of the buildings, and asked that the footage be sent to the Second District Violent Crimes Unit. What I will say is I have patrol officers who are willing to put in OT and help review the footage.” He looked directly at me. “Jesse, I’ve heard you and your team have located over fifty cameras in a ten-block grid around Bixler Park.”
“That’s correct, sir.”
“And it’s a time-consuming project to review every camera for a glimpse of two people and a wagon.”
I had to agree.
He went on. “Our officers can start with the Washington Park footage and document every vehicle that entered after midnight. Hopefully, you’ll catch the people with the wagon in the Bixler Park area and be able to track them to a home or vehicle, but if it’s a vehicle, we could possibly have a match to ones that entered Washington Park. We have to start somewhere.”
Lutz took over. “Especially when those other two leads that seemed promising fell through. Both men were alive and well.”
Kip Murray asked for permission to speak, and Lutz nodded.
“We still have tip-line calls coming in on the first John Doe. What are we going to do about the second one?”
“Good question, Kip, and I think the commander can answer that for you.” Lutz gave Abrams the floor again.
“My units will start patrolling parks around the clock. That’s a huge endeavor, so we’ll have to start with the parks in the Second District since the two that were hit are within your borders. We’ll see what happens and whether the killer catches on or not. If they do, they may move farther out. For now, let’s take it one step at a time and see what we find on surveillance.”
Next, Lutz addressed all of his officers and detectives. “Go over what you have with the night crew. They can get started and hopefully make a dent in it.”
The meeting adjourned, and most of us headed to the bull pen. Our night shift detectives and officers would start trickling in any minute. As I compiled notes to go over with them, my desk phone rang.
Pinching the receiver between my ear and shoulder, I answered. “McCord speaking.”
“Jesse, it’s Mike.”
“Yep, buddy, what’s up?” I couldn’t remember why Mike would be updating me on anything unless it pertained to the victim found in Washington Park that morning.
“You aren’t going to believe this.”
I was dead tired but chuckled, anyway. “Yeah, try me.”
“Remember that blood smear I told you I found on the bottom slat of the bench?”
I remembered now. “Yep, sure do. Did it belong to the vic?”
He huffed. “Not even close. It was from a female.”
“Son of a bitch,” I yelled out, “that changes everything!” I slammed the phone down on the base and raced to Lutz’s office. He wasn’t there, and that was likely the reason Mike had called me instead. I spun on my heels and headed to the conference room. Inside, Lutz and Abrams sat alone while reviewing the meeting notes.
“Boss!”
They both jerked their heads in my direction.
Lutz furrowed his brows, and a look of concern spread across his face. “Jesse, what’s wrong?”
“Mike just called. The blood smear they found on the bench from Bixler Park belongs to a woman, not John Doe.”
“Holy hell!” Lutz said. “We need to come up with a different mind-set and damn fast. We have no idea who we’re looking for.” He leapt from the table and headed toward the door. Abrams was right on his heels. “We have to put together some type of profile.” He jerked up his sleeve and checked the time. “Another meeting in the bull pen as soon as everyone from the night shift is here. Until then, the first shifters stay put.”