Is the crime related to the housekeeper in some way, in that the housekeeper has a direct interest in the crime beyond simply receiving the envelope and going to the police with the information
No

Was the murder pre-planned or as an impulsive reaction to learning something i.e. on the spur of the moment
Not pre-planned, yes impulsive reaction to learning something on the spur of the moment.

Neobick

Sweden208 Posts

July 13 2010 20:41 GMT

#342

Did the mail contain something belonging to the murderer? The first victim?

Is the criminals line of work in law enforcement?

Neon_Monkey

United States270 Posts

July 13 2010 21:03 GMT

#343

Were the intruder and owner talking about the crime right before the murder?

andrewlt

United States7702 Posts

July 13 2010 21:22 GMT

#344

Did the intruder murder the owner when the intruder learned that the envelope was being mailed to the owner's home address?

I'm guessing the intruder wanted to destroy what was in the envelope. He and the owner met each other away from the owner's home, maybe out of town or out of the country. When the intruder learned that the envelope was being mailed to the owner's home address, the intruder killed the owner so he could get the envelope first. Maybe the owner doesn't know the actual contents of the envelope yet or what the intruder doesn't want the owner to know.

XeliN

United Kingdom1755 Posts

July 13 2010 22:44 GMT

#345

Was the murdered man a private investigator and the documents contained information about the intruder, photographs, address that sort of thing. The intruder realised someone was investigating him and quickly killed the man, but then after the murder somehow realised that the man had sent information about his identity to his own house, not specifically for the housekeeper to find just to send to himself. The intruder is a felon attempting to hide his identity to avoid being tried for a previous crime. Lets say simple murder, although possibly sex crimes of a most heinous nature involving a variety of fruit, wooden instruments and a small group of gerbils

If this is right I'm going to have to apply for an apartment in 221B Baker Street

XeliN

United Kingdom1755 Posts

July 13 2010 22:51 GMT

#346

That explanation leaves quite alot of things unanswered though, how the man was able to access the house without seemingly breaking in. For that his previous crime might be something like "Art Thief" as a pose to murder which would go some way to explaining it.

Then there is the "only 3 day's or he's caught" dilemma, I would answer that by saying it is when the housekeeper would discover the envelope and his attempts at retrieval//thievery would be in vain although you've already said that it is not explained why the housekeeper does not discover the envelope which makes that unlikely.

Unless the answer is simply circumstantial in that on the final day a policeman was lying in wait and thus his attempts to steal the envelope would have been thwarted

Seth_

Belgium184 Posts

July 13 2010 22:58 GMT

#347

On July 14 2010 07:51 XeliN wrote:
Then there is the "only 3 day's or he's caught" dilemma, I would answer that by saying it is when the housekeeper would discover the envelope and his attempts at retrieval//thievery would be in vain although you've already said that it is not explained why the housekeeper does not discover the envelope which makes that unlikely.

Unless the answer is simply circumstantial in that on the final day a policeman was lying in wait and thus his attempts to steal the envelope would have been thwarted

no one of the first questions I asked was whether the break-ins would have stopped anyway after 3 days or if it was because there was a police man waiting.

We can safely say that the envelope arrived on the third day just before the break-in and before the housemaid arrived (perhaps she works only afternoons)

ZapRoffo

United States5544 Posts

July 13 2010 23:03 GMT

#348

Were the intruder and owner talking about the crime right before the murder?
Yes

Did the intruder murder the owner when the intruder learned that the envelope was being mailed to the owner's home address?
Yes.

On July 14 2010 05:13 ZapRoffo wrote:

Show nested quote +

Almost right, but the owner did not actually expect to die.
One simple final step is left that ties it together, answers the reason for sending (your reason might be a secondary consideration), and how the intruder knew and the murder.

It doesn't say why the housekeeper doesn't receive it, I'm assuming she works different days/hours or just is at lunch near 11:30.

Use this

ZapRoffo

United States5544 Posts

July 13 2010 23:10 GMT

#349

On July 14 2010 07:44 XeliN wrote:
Was the murdered man a private investigator and the documents contained information about the intruder, photographs, address that sort of thing. The intruder realised someone was investigating him and quickly killed the man, but then after the murder somehow realised that the man had sent information about his identity to his own house, not specifically for the housekeeper to find just to send to himself. The intruder is a felon attempting to hide his identity to avoid being tried for a previous crime. Lets say simple murder, although possibly sex crimes of a most heinous nature involving a variety of fruit, wooden instruments and a small group of gerbils

If this is right I'm going to have to apply for an apartment in 221B Baker Street

and this, which combined tell the story except for the "somehow realised the man had sent informformation.

LuckyLuke43

Norway169 Posts

July 13 2010 23:10 GMT

#350

Was the dead owner a private investigator?

ZapRoffo

United States5544 Posts

July 13 2010 23:11 GMT

#351

XeliN

United Kingdom1755 Posts

July 13 2010 23:12 GMT

#352

Was the murdered man an accomplice in the original crime, the information about which he sent to his house?

ZapRoffo

United States5544 Posts

July 13 2010 23:13 GMT

#353

Was the dead owner a private investigator?
Not quite. But I accept it as an answer cause it's close enough.

Was the murdered man an accomplice in the original crime, the information about which he sent to his house?
No.

What sort of talks would the two men have? And responses? We know the one knew about the other's investigation.

Neon_Monkey

United States270 Posts

July 13 2010 23:18 GMT

#354

Was their meeting scheduled by the owner?

Was the owner giving the intruder a chance to turn himself in?

Was the intruder trying to bribe the owner?

XeliN

United Kingdom1755 Posts

July 13 2010 23:20 GMT

#355

Was the murdered man attempting to blackmail the intruder?

ZapRoffo

United States5544 Posts

July 13 2010 23:20 GMT

#356

Was their meeting scheduled by the owner?
No

Was the owner giving the intruder a chance to turn himself in?
No

Was the intruder trying to bribe the owner?
Yes

On July 14 2010 08:03 ZapRoffo wrote:
Were the intruder and owner talking about the crime right before the murder?
Yes

Did the intruder murder the owner when the intruder learned that the envelope was being mailed to the owner's home address?
Yes.

Show nested quote +

Use this

I forgot to add that although he didn't expect to die, he realized the possibility existed, so the preparing for it is half true.

Neon_Monkey

United States270 Posts

July 13 2010 23:20 GMT

#357

already asked that, its no.

ZapRoffo

United States5544 Posts

July 13 2010 23:30 GMT

#358

All I want to know is why he sent the information other than to prepare for the eventuality of his death (hint: they are both motivated by the same stimulus but have different expectations), and how the intruder knew about the sending.

edit: Do you guys want me to just post the full story or do you want to keep going for this last detail because I'm sort of splitting hairs?

Pandain

United States12989 Posts

July 13 2010 23:46 GMT

#359

Did the housekeeper tell the intruder about the envelope.

Did the ownner knonw someone personally who was involved as the victim in the previous crime.

Was the housekeeper ever in danger.

XeliN

United Kingdom1755 Posts

July 13 2010 23:53 GMT

#360

I'd like to deductively arrive at the last hair split, although at the same time i'd like to know the answer before going to sleep.

In a vague sense, did the intruder know about the sending simply because the murdered man told him, not anticipating the reaction the killer would have to the news (killing him)

This seems the most plausible reason for how he knew although doesn't really answer why the murdered man felt little danger in telling the murderer