Non Mafia Game Investigations: [Concluded] [Archive]

Seon

12-24-2010, 08:14

Thanks to...Edgar Allen Poe, Utano Shogo, and Ryukishi07 for inspiration :bow:

Welcome to the first game of Investigations, a mystery solving game with a twist! Here, you shall play the role of an amateur detective.

As a detective, your job would be, of course, to detect. You will determine how a culprit may have comitted a crime without the help of the incompetant police. You will never have to worry about whodunit or whydunit. You alredy know both! That would be because you are talking with the murderer right now.

.................................................................................................... ...............................................................................

You glance down at the tabloids as you walk near the house of the victim. "Three days ago, after receiving a frantic phone call, an ambulance was dispatched to Ravenfalls county. When the emergency personnel, led by Mrs.Brown, rushed up the stairs, they found Mr. Brown dead of strangulation. The police arrived minutes after. ...despite being protected by a home secuirty system and enjoying living in a neighbourhood in which no crime had occurred in the last 4 years, Mr. Brown was found strangled in his sleep. The terrorized neighbours have expressed their condolences for Mrs. Brown (29) who found the body of her dead husband in her own bed when she woke up, and wish for the hasty arrest of the culprit.

The police have reported that all the doors and windows were locked by the time in which the emergency personnel arrived, and that the home secuirty system was engaged. So far, the police have been unable to find a logical explanation for the crime. However, there are rumours that Mr.Brown was threatened multiple times before his death..."

You sigh and pocket the tabloid. The line "despite being protected by a home secuirty system" bugs you considerably. That, and the fact that the murderer apparently killed the victim right next to his still breathing wife without her noticing.

You look up to examine the house.

http://csmedia.mris.com/platinum/getmedia?ObjectKey=90172739826&MEDT=10000000316&LOOT=50000881745

It seems to be a two floor house. You know that, as with every other house in the neighbourhood, this house was fitted with an autolock. In addition, the sign saying "Protected by ADT" is pinned to the front lawn. Fat lot of good they did to the house's occupant, you think.

The entire area is cordoned off by yellow secuirty tape. A single man in blue guards the entryway. It seems as if there is no way at all you will be able to search the house yourself.

Askthepizzaguy

12-24-2010, 09:31

Objective is "how" it was done, then?

PershsNhpios

12-24-2010, 09:45

Bribe the man in blue and make an entrance.

Vote: Seon

Seon

12-24-2010, 09:46

Yes. Whodunit and whodunit is irrelevant: you know that the murderer is a killer who kills for the sake of making mysteries.

Ah yes. You MAY move around the character and ask questions and inquiries.

Askthepizzaguy

12-24-2010, 09:49

What markings does the victim have on his body?

Specifically, does it look like there are bruises consistent with hands or fingers, markings of that nature, on the victim's body?

Or, does it look like there was an object used for strangulation, such as a rope, cord, or sheet?

Edit: Or wait, I can't examine the body, can I?

Seon

12-24-2010, 09:52

You can't but sure. I will answer that question, the murderer used a rope of some kind to strangle his victim. No other bruises exist. But that's the lesser of the mystery here.

Askthepizzaguy

12-24-2010, 09:56

I would figure, if the wife is telling the truth, that it was self-strangulation, for reasons I won't get into here. Either he was suicidal or on drugs or what have you.

If not, it would be the wife or someone else still in the house.

Seon

12-24-2010, 10:06

The wife did not commit the crime. This, I shall guarantee.

The murderer is someone that neither Mr or Mrs Brown know. This, I shall also guarantee.

Mr. Brown did not commit suicide. This, I shall also guarantee.

Askthepizzaguy

12-24-2010, 10:07

The ADT guy is mad because Mr. Brown never paid for the installation.

Arrest: ADT installation guy.

Seon

12-24-2010, 10:12

Lol. XD

Yes, the ADT guy MAY have been able to disengage the security system and pick the lock of the house to get in. But how, you may wonder, would he be able to strangle his victim without the wife, who was sleeping right next to the victim, noticing?

Askthepizzaguy

12-24-2010, 10:13

She could be deaf, on medication, or a heavy sleeper.

Seon

12-24-2010, 11:02

I refuse to confirm, although I certainly will not deny.

The point is, mere conjecturing will never get me to reveal more.

Remember that you can ask the Man in Blue some questions as well.

Csargo

12-24-2010, 23:51

Bribe the guard with donuts to let you in the house.

Ask the guard if they know who threatened Mr. Brown or if he was threatened at all.

Seon

12-25-2010, 04:15

Bribe the guard with donuts to let you in the house.

Ask the guard if they know who threatened Mr. Brown or if he was threatened at all.

You approach the guard, walking as if you own the darn house. As you reach into your bag to pull out a donut, he shoots you a look and says "No visitors."

Well darn. It seemed like a good idea at first. Instead of the donut, you pull out a business card.

"Hello, ," you say with a smile, handing him the business card. "I just wanted to ask a few questions about the case." The cop raises an eyebrow. "Discovery Channel? Didn't you people visit yesterday?" he said.

"Well, yes," you add hurriedly. "But the director would like for me to clarify a few things. Oh, and..." you show him a yellow manilla envelope. "Of course, cooperation will yield gratitudes..."

"Ah..." the cop nods knowingly. Money, of course, is a common language.

"Well," the cop said. "What do you want to clarify?"

"We heard rumors that Mr.Brown was threatened by someone. Have the police been able to confirm the nature of the threatening messages? If so, what were his motives?"

The police's face darkens. "You know I cannot answer that," he replied flatly. "I will, however, confirm that Mr.Brown was indeed threatened. Mr.and Mrs. Brown thought it was merely a prank, and did not call the police. It is a truly tragic circumstance, really. If they did, we might have been able to stop the entire affair."

You nod approvingly. In heart, you can't help but feel as if the guy rehearsed this whole thing too well...was he just standing in front of the house waiting for a reporter to ask him this question?

"The poor man." the police adds. "I don't know if I should be telling you this..." he leans forward. "But...we haven't been able to find any motive whatsoever. Mr. Brown moved into this neighbourhood just a month ago, and he never made any enemies."

"Anything else you want to clarify?"

Beefy187

12-25-2010, 14:33

Sorry I came here late.

Ask the fellow about Mr Browns family. Any children or relatives? Whats his occupation?

Seon

12-25-2010, 17:29

"Sorry," the cop replies. "That would be a private affair."

*note: Yes, Mr. Brown was a corporate executive. It is not completely unforseeable that he, in his career, made several enemies. However, I will guarentee that that was not the motive. This was the work of a psychopath.

Csargo

12-25-2010, 21:47

Ask if there have been any similar murders recently.

Seon

12-25-2010, 22:09

"No," the cop replies. "This has been a crime free neighbourhood for the past...4 years. The emergency personnel didn't expect it to be a murder. Frankly none of us expected it to be a murder, so they just sent some paramedics. The hospital was closer to this house than the police station anyways."

The police pauses to remember. "It's all quite a mystery..." he said. "How could this have happened? All the windows of this house are locked from the inside, and they all have vibration detecting sensors built into it. The door's fitted with an autolock and the wife swore that the chain was still set from the inside when she opened the door. We think that she did it... She's the only one who can....but then why? And where did the murder weapon go?

Beefy187

12-26-2010, 00:20

Ask for permission to question the wife.

Seon

12-26-2010, 00:56

The man in blue raises an eyebrow. "She's not in here. No duh. Besides, you know that you can't ask me that question. Privacy, you know? Actually, I think I would like you to leave now."

"Bu..."

"No matter. Just. Go."

You walk away, still unable to quite piece together what happened in the house.

OOC NOTE: All the clues that you *need* to piece together the thing have been given :tongue:.

IC: You boot up your PC. 'tis time to talk to the murderer. Over the past few years, you two, the murderer and the detective, have grown quite close together. The murderer would, on many occassions, kill people and taunt you over the web with it, daring you to solve it.

Of course, you solved most of them. MOST OF THEM.

A conversation box suddenly appears in your screen. It's the murderer. "So, Mr. Detective!" the murderer says brightly. "have you figured it out yet?"

Suddenly the murderer goes offline. Few minutes later he appears again. You smirk. "Battery problems again? Forgot to pay the electricity bill?"

"Shut. Up." The murderer replies. "So, did you solve it yet?"

"It was impossible for anyone to sneak inside the house even before the cops came," you reply. "How the heck did you..."

The murderer laughs. "I don't know, magic I guess."

Askthepizzaguy

12-26-2010, 13:22

I still think I solved it with the ADT guy, I just didn't ask all the right questions.

I'm not sure what other solutions there are.

Seon

12-26-2010, 19:05

It could be done by the ADT guy, but that would be too easy. Therefore I shall give you... A major hint. At no point during the night of Brown`s death did the secuirty system disengage. The culprit was able to get into the house without that.

You might then go to say something like “Mr. Brown simply forgot to close a window or something.” So I will state that all the windows were closed. You may even say that the murderer bribed the ADT guy to not install a detecror in a certain window. No such thing happened.

Askthepizzaguy

12-26-2010, 19:10

I do believe I has been stumped.

1. It was not a self-inflicted death or accidental death.
2. It was not the wife.
3. There's no one else in the house.
4. It was not the obvious suspect, the ADT guy, who is the only one I can think of who can sneak in and out of the house when the security system is armed.
5. There is the unresolved problem of why the wife did not wake up during the struggle.
6. These people are all human, this isn't one of those mind-screw problems where the dead person is actually a fish.
7. It was no one that the victims knew.

As such, and without any other firm leads, I am not sure what kind of questions to ask here.

Seon

12-26-2010, 19:14

There`s another hint in your short conversation with the murderer himself.

Csargo

12-26-2010, 20:25

Obviously santa did it.

I have no idea how to solve this :/

Greyblades

12-26-2010, 23:43

Seon

12-26-2010, 23:59

Are the window locks electrical?

Edit,: No, wait, thats not likely, why put a computer chip lock on a poxy window?

Ok what about the sensors are they battery powered or run off the power mains?

Ooh I just thought of something, was Mr Brown on medication?

Battery powered. They were installed merely a month ago and did not run out of power.

He was on sleeping pills~ That`s what you would like me to say. But I jest. He was not on anything.

Askthepizzaguy

12-27-2010, 00:05

I think I need some of what ever it was that Mr. Brown wasn't on. It's obviously really good stuff.

This one is giving me a headache. I'm going to concede, because I don't think I can solve it without building off of someone else's work, since I am presently stumped. So they should try, and take credit.

Greyblades

12-27-2010, 00:07

What about mrs brown did she take anything?
Oh another thing; that house looks pretty expensive, did the Brown's hire a maid or other cleaner?

Seon

12-27-2010, 02:00

What about mrs brown did she take anything?
Oh another thing; that house looks pretty expensive, did the Brown's hire a maid or other cleaner?

Mea. Brown did nor get any medication from her doctors nor did she buy any off of the pharmacist.

The Browns did not hire a maid. If she had any relation to the case, I would surely have mentioned it by now.

Greyblades

12-27-2010, 02:07

Ok I dont think I'm going to get an answer today so I'll state my theory - the Brown's have been hireing a maid to clean up after them, normally I would expect a maid would have been given a key or security code at some point to the house just in case the family is out of the house at the designated time of cleaning. One of these times the maid has been cleaning the kitchen/bathroom/wherever they keep a medicine cabinet and s/he decided to swap out some of the regular pills; paracetamol, something to help with time of the month etc, with sedatives. After that all the maid had to do was to figure out when Mrs browns time of the month is, shouldnt be too hard check some bins for used, uh, "medical supplies", after that all s/he has to do is turn up in the middle of Mrs Brown's time of the month use his/her key to get in and strangle Mr Brown while Mrs Brown is unconcious from taking medicine she expected to ease the cramps.

This should explain why there was no sign of breaking in and why Mrs Brown didnt notice her husband getting killed.

Edit: Oh uh never mind then. ADT guy broke in by knowing the system and chlorophormed Mrs Brown while she slept to keep her unconcious while he killed the Husband.

Nightbringer

12-27-2010, 09:24

Was the phone call to the hospital made by Mrs. Brown?

Seon

12-27-2010, 09:59

Was the phone call to the hospital made by Mrs. Brown?

Uhh...yeah?

Diamondeye

12-27-2010, 21:03

The policeman at the entrance did it

Minions, conjure up the evidence to support this.

Nightbringer

12-27-2010, 21:57

Uhh...yeah?

It could have been a hospital worker who killed the husband, then when Mrs. Brown woke up he could have said he got an anonymous call and was there to help.

Seon

12-27-2010, 23:28

The policeman at the entrance did it

Minions, conjure up the evidence to support this.

Yeah, Diamondeye, where's your evidence? :tongue:

@Nightbringer: But tha'ts insane.

Seon

12-28-2010, 04:03

Do you want a small hint, continue investigating some more/ask question to the MURDERER HIMSELF, or do you want a really big hint?

Death is yonder

12-28-2010, 04:43

Interesting! :beam:

Mr. Brown was found strangled in his sleep

So I'm guessing it was a quick and swift death by the rope. Then he wouldn't have had time to make sound, so its possible that thus the wife would not have been alerted.

I also cautiously note that the house has a chimney with a roof that seems walkable, as well as pipes adorning the sides. I'd like to confirm if the chimney could fit a man, or a really thin man. Also is the murderer fat? Or is he thin/average?

Was the bedroom in the same room as the fire place? Yes or no, was it Mr Brown/Mrs Brown's habit to keep that fire going through the night? Were there doused ashes found at that fireplace?

The murderer is someone that neither Mr or Mrs Brown know.

So the murderer is a stranger then. Since the neighborhood is a peaceful one with no crime committed in the past 4 years or something, it thus follows that a psychopath murderer who kills for the sake of mystery, AND is known to the detective from past experience, is NOT from this neighborhood.

I wonder if asking the neighbors whether they saw anyone not from the neighborhood around on the day of the murder would be a good idea and when they last saw him. Maybe this would give a further indication when he entered the house. Its still possible he sneaked in normally and left unconventionally.

"Of course, cooperation will yield gratitudes..."

"Ah..." the cop nods knowingly. Money, of course, is a common language.

In heart, you can't help but feel as if the guy rehearsed this whole thing too well

Hmm, also seems possible that in the same way, the cop/police could have been bought off already. Not sure what that means though.

"I don't know if I should be telling you this..."

*wonders if this is evidence that the cop was indeed bought off* (signifies that the cop doesn't know whether the guy who bought him off would want him to tell this snippet of information..?)

"It was impossible for anyone to sneak inside the house even before the cops came,"

Either he was there already in the house, or he sneaked in via an unconventional way (chimney perhaps?)

After typing this, I think that the murderer definitely had to come in via an unconventional route unprotected by the security system. He could not have possibly sneaked in when the system was down or something (if the Browns turn it off during the day) because then the current scenario would not have occurred. The wife insists that at no point of time did the security system trip, and that the house was still secure. Therefore, if he sneaked in while the system was down or something and was there beforehand, he could not have possibly left via the original route.

Thus, I'd venture a guess and say that the murderer entered the house via the chimney (not even sure whether its possible to enter via there, but it does seem like a good idea since you haven't mentioned it at all Seon, plus its in the picture, how wonderfully deceptive and overlooked)

Just tossing out some thoughts :thinking:

Seon

12-28-2010, 04:56

Thus, I'd venture a guess and say that the murderer entered the house via the chimney (not even sure whether its possible to enter via there, but it does seem like a good idea since you haven't mentioned it at all Seon, plus its in the picture, how wonderfully deceptive and overlooked)

You are on the right track here. The picture is a key evidence.

However, you are wrong.

Death is yonder

12-28-2010, 05:10

The door's fitted with an autolock and the wife swore that the chain was still set from the inside when she opened the door.

Does this apply also to the door like object on the left side of the house in the picture? Or just the main door.

Seon

12-28-2010, 06:47

No, for that place is a greenhouse and thus lacks a door to the outside world.

Nightbringer

12-28-2010, 09:03

Did they drop a boa constrictor down the chimney? :)

Beefy187

12-28-2010, 10:40

Murderer doesn't know how he did it.
Thus he have no right to claim murderer.

Ask him for evidence that he was indeed the one who killed Mr Brown

Seon

12-28-2010, 11:40

Murderer doesn't know how he did it.
Thus he have no right to claim murderer.

Ask him for evidence that he was indeed the one who killed Mr Brown

"Certainly," the murderer grins. He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a picture. On the picture is Mr. Brown and Mrs. Brown, still in bed. The murderer stands next to Mr. Brown, still wearing the ridiculous Guy Fawkes mask. He is holding a garrote of some kind, fashioned from piano wire.

It is dark. It seems as if the photo was taken using an infrared sight. Probably to reduce chance of detection. However, there can be no dispute that this murderer was indeed, the one who killed Mr. Brown.

Edit: Ah yes. You re using webcam, which is why you can see the picture, and why the murderer is wearing his Guy Fawkes mask. He, however, sometimes uses soft filtering to blur his image. He can't wear the mask ALL the time now can he.

Beefy187

12-28-2010, 13:39

So our biggest mystery right now is how he got in without tripping security.

Diamondeye

12-28-2010, 14:00

If he doesn't come from above, could have have entered from below?

Did you say that the Greenhouse is not connected to the outside world? Is it completely intact, impossible to enter through without setting off the alarm system?

Seon

12-28-2010, 18:11

Diamondeye

12-28-2010, 18:42

Is it intact at least? We should be able to see that without coming close.
Also, do we know if they've re-enabled the alarm system? Or is it presently turned off?

Seon

12-28-2010, 18:46

Is it intact at least? We should be able to see that without coming close.
Also, do we know if they've re-enabled the alarm system? Or is it presently turned off?

It is still completely intact. No panes of broken glass exist.

They have not reenabled the alarm system in the house. The guard standing in front of the doorway and the fact that this is a police investigation is enough to deter most intruder.

Diamondeye

12-28-2010, 18:49

What are our chances of breaking into the house thru the Greenhouse? Is it heavily guarded, the place?

Also; @Murderer: "So, a shame about that fingerprint they found, huh?"

Seon

12-28-2010, 18:53

What are our chances of breaking into the house thru the Greenhouse? Is it heavily guarded, the place?

Also; @Murderer: "So, a shame about that fingerprint they found, huh?"

"Yeah, so shameful. But you know what? I was never caught once. Therefore, I do not exist in their little database."

"Besides, there are exactly 0 chance that they will find my fingerprint.

Edit: OOC: You can try. But if you get caught :tongue:.

No.

Diamondeye

12-28-2010, 18:57

"You might have a point about the database. If only they would share their discovery of the entry point, I'd be barking up your heels already."

Greyblades

12-28-2010, 19:06

Wait if the murderer is in contact with us, why arent we getting the police to try to track the ip adress or something?

Seon

12-28-2010, 20:24

Wait if the murderer is in contact with us, why arent we getting the police to try to track the ip adress or something?

Because you are crazy.

@Diamondeye: They can't share what they don't have now can they?

Diamondeye

12-28-2010, 21:27

Because you are crazy.

This proves it. WE ARE THE MURDERER. ARGH.

Seon

12-28-2010, 21:36

This proves it. WE ARE THE MURDERER. ARGH.

No. You have an alibi. You were at least 10 miles away inside your own house when the murder happened. You also had an internet chat with the murderer himself.

That does not, however, mean that you are not A murderer :tongue:

Greyblades

12-28-2010, 21:57

In our own home alone and the chat was completely without witnesses. Ok I think we have a split personality disorder.

Seon

12-28-2010, 22:12

You have a log to prove it.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE WHODUNIT PEOPLE, BUT HOWDUNIT.

Diamondeye

12-28-2010, 22:31

You have a log to prove it.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE WHODUNIT PEOPLE, BUT HOWDUNIT.

That's pretty hard when you refuse to answer questions or even explain why you don't.

Seon

12-28-2010, 22:43

May I make a suggestion?

You guys are thinking too laterally.

Greyblades

12-28-2010, 22:52

Were thinking too north/south?

Beefy187

12-28-2010, 23:07

This all took place in our imagination.
It never really happened.

Diamondeye

12-28-2010, 23:14

This all took place in our imagination.
It never really happened.

This becomes the truth if we all keep believing in it. Go!

Seon

12-29-2010, 07:21

Watch from 3:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrigL02Q0mM&feature=related)

The house...is guarenteed to be completely sealed off from the outside world. It's a mistake to think about how the murderer snuck into it.

Diamondeye

12-29-2010, 12:51

Okay. Yet we have evidence that both the murderer and the victim was inside the house at some point. Working from the completely sealed off thesis, this means that the murderer must've been hidden inside the building yet somehow escaped without detection. We know that the murderer is not the wife or the victim itself. Therefore, he must've been a third person who was in the house whilst it was locked off.

He escaped by blending in with either the emergency personnel or the cops who arrived later.

Is this enough? Can we say "Locate everyone who's exited the house during the initial chaos" whilst we are communicating with the murderer on webcam? Obviously, he would then be found with mask on and in front of a computer and thus be revealed. Or do we need more?

Seon

12-29-2010, 13:41

You need more. For example, if the murderer was hiding in the house, then where must he have taken refugee?

How was he still able to sneak into the house at all? Keep in mind that if anyone is in the house, than sneaking in is impossible (unless they are all asleep). In addition, when nobody's in the house, security system will deter all intruder.

Greyblades

12-29-2010, 15:25

...How the heck are we supposed to figure out where he hid in the house when we know absolutely nothing about the house interior apart from the assumption that they have a bed? The house might be an empty shell with a futon that just happens to have a pair of enthusiastic gardeners squatting in it for all we know!

slashandburn

12-29-2010, 18:21

Seon

12-29-2010, 18:26

He has hidden in the attic with a laptop, guy fawkes mask, and webcam. He never left the house, he's still inside. The power troubles are because of something occuring on the crime scene or changing batteries. He hid in the attic before the murder.

... Correct.

Well; except for a couple of things. When did he enter the house? Oh, and he DID escape.

Well. Those are minor details though.

Greyblades

12-29-2010, 18:57

So the killer is only free because the police didn't search the entire house. That says less criminal mastermind and more dumb luck.

Seon

12-29-2010, 19:17

So the killer is only free because the police didn't search the entire house. That says less criminal mastermind and more dumb luck.

1. Did you think of the attic as an obvious hiding spot?

2. Did you actually think that the killer was hiding in the house as opposed to using method X to break in?

3. How many times do you go into your own attic, assuming it's one of those like my house in which the entrance to the attic is neigh invisible?

4. Did you know that my history teacher lived in a house in which the attic was accessible by a secret trap door that opened a secret passage through the house and up to the secret attic in which Civil War army uniform and Spencer Carbines were stored?

4. Who said anything about he being still there when the police came? :tongue:

Greyblades

12-29-2010, 19:27

1. 2 story house with a triagle roof with no evidence of extention? Yes.
2. Not the point.
3. I had an attic afew months ago before it was extended into another bedroom and it was used regularly and the entrance was pretty unmissable.
4. The house looks like a rather new building there is no reason it would have a secret stash built in.
4(again). You said correct to slash and burn's idea which said he was using a laptop he brought with him there. Meaning he was still there at lest until after the first time he taunted us.

Seon

12-29-2010, 20:21

Then I said that some of slash's details were wrong. The man escaped in the few minutes of the time when the house was left unguarded in between the time that the emergency personnel left with Mr. Brown's body and the police arrived. Or he could have blended in with any of them during the chaos as Diamondeye said. Either way works as a solution in my opinion.

You found out what I was hinting at the picture with your explanation in 1.

The fact that I took many lengths to show that the house was impenetrable should have given you a hint that the murderer was hiding inside the house.

The fact that Mr. Brown was threatened should have given you the hint that this was carefully planned out for a very, very long time.

The fact that Mr. Brown moved into the house just a month ago should have given you a major hint in when exactly the murderer snuck into the house. He snuck in when Mr. Brown didn't move in yet. Because there's nobody in the house, the secuirty system would be off. Any fool with a lockpick can enter the door then.

The fact that you commented on the murderer's laptop's batteries as a problem indicates that he had battery problem some time before; anyone normal would have commented on his wireless routers instead. As it doesn't really make sense for the murderer to be in the cafe because... that would be stupid, and because if he's in his house, then he would have no problems with electricity, then it must follow logically that the murderer was hiding in the victim's house where he must hide. The only place it makes sense is to be in the attic.

He had fed himself over the weeks by stealing food from the refridgerator in the dead of the night. Because he's already in the house, it gives the murderer the perfect opportunity to add sleeping pills to the family's drink/food. Because he had been doing the same thing for a WHOLE MONTH, he has the opportunity to determine the victim's life style and pattern.

The entraceway to the attic I was thinking of was through a trapdoor into a ceiling, which is accessible only by a ladder. In addition, the attic has no windows and it is too dark to see anything. This, in combination to the fact that no crime had occurred in the neighbourhood for 4 years and thus the police were unprepared, makes sense for the police did not notice the attic at all. They would have been much more concerned about how exactly the murderer entered the house, which is what you people were doing, because in mystery, the police are always incompetant.

After all, what kind of a man hides inside an attic for a month just to kill a guy for fun?

The hide in attic theory may not be the most brilliant and complex theory, but it's a theory that explains everything the mystery threw at you.

And that's usually the correct theory.