Chapter 212: The Unfortunate Couple (Part 2)

"How many of these cases still have the opportunity to re-examine the bodies?" Rossi asked.

JJ checked the files and replied, "At least two of them are still in process, so the bodies should be at the coroner's office. Actually, make that three; one couple's bodies haven't been claimed by any relatives yet."

"Contact D.B. Russell at the Las Vegas Crime Lab, send him the details, and request their involvement in re-examining the bodies. We need to identify the murder weapon and, most importantly, confirm if the female victims were all sexually assaulted before their deaths."

Rossi paused and then continued, "Don't overlook the vehicles either. The reports say the dashcams were all destroyed and the GPS data couldn't be recovered."

"But I've been reading these crime lab reports, and modern trace evidence analysis can roughly pinpoint the crime scene location, which would be very useful for us."

Jack was surprised as he looked at the 60-something profiler. Rossi had indeed been serious about his continuous learning and keeping up with new developments.

"The crash sites are spread across highways around Carson City, Lake Tahoe, and Reno, areas frequented by travelers, especially now during the ski season, mixed with seasonal workers."

Being a local, Jack shared what he knew. He had spent several years in California and was familiar with this tourist hotspot between the two states.

"This means there are plenty of potential victims to choose from."

Hotchner added, "Given the victims' experiences, including beatings and assaults, the perpetrator needs a private space and substantial time to commit the crimes."

"This suggests the perpetrator is a local or someone with property or a long-term residence in the area," Emily Prentiss offered her thoughts.

Everyone contributed their opinions, and soon they had a rough profile.

A psychopathic rapist targeting passing couples, using nighttime highway truck crashes to stage accidents and cover up the crimes.

"What do the local media know?" Rossi suddenly asked JJ after hearing everyone's analysis.

JJ shrugged, "The media aren't aware of the connections. As usual, these incidents are reported as traffic accidents."

Emily understood immediately, "That's our advantage. The perpetrator doesn't know they're exposed, so they aren't on guard."

"Yes, JJ, contact Sheriff Bruner and explain the importance of confidentiality. If the suspect realizes they're being investigated, they might change their MO or target victims elsewhere," Hotchner said, glancing at the files in his hand.

The briefing didn't take long, given the limited information available. Hotchner made the final call for the deployment.

"Everyone, go home early and get some rest. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. The bureau has allocated two cars for us. Jack and I will each drive one. Remember to bring enough warm clothing."

Since Nevada was just next to California, there was no need for the Gulfstream jet. It would take only about four hours to drive from Los Angeles.

Early the next morning, two brand new Suburbans left Los Angeles, heading north along Highway 1.

Reno is near Lake Tahoe, one of America's most famous ski resorts. The Sierra Nevada mountain range extends to this area, dotted with dozens of ski resorts.

Now, during the ski season, it was the busiest time of the year for tourists. The roads were filled with various RVs and travel trailers, some carrying snowmobiles or even kayaks on their roofs.

Many people knew about the gambling city of Las Vegas, but fewer knew that Reno was the second-largest gambling city in the US. It was once known as the "Divorce Capital."

In the early 20th century, during the 1920s to 1950s, divorce was still seen as disgraceful in the US. It might be hard to imagine now, but it was true back then. 

To boost the economy, Reno changed its laws in 1931, allowing couples to divorce without reason after living there for just six weeks. Thousands of Americans flocked to this western town.

At its peak, people coming to divorce filled hotels, guesthouses, and even local farms. Some who couldn't find housing set up tents, willing to endure a few weeks of hardship for the freedom of singlehood.

Reno also has the famous Virginia Street Bridge, a well-known landmark. Newly divorced women would stand on the bridge and throw their wedding rings into the Truckee River below, earning it the nickname "Divorce River."

All this information came from Dr. Reid's non-stop commentary during the journey. Even in the spacious Suburban, there was no room for a mahjong table, and with everyone leaving early, no one needed to nap in the car, so casual chatting ensued.

Around noon, the two Suburbans arrived at the local police station, where a gray-haired middle-aged sheriff greeted them.

"I'm Bruner. Welcome."

"Hello, Sheriff Bruner. We spoke on the phone. These are my colleagues."

Lake Tahoe is a typical high-altitude lake, with an average elevation near 2,000 meters. In winter, the average temperature is around -10 degrees Celsius. Coming from the warm California coast, everyone bundled up in thick down jackets as soon as they got out of the cars.

As the BAU team's "diplomat," JJ introduced both sides.

"The place isn't large, but it should be sufficient."

Sheriff Bruner, a short, lean man who gave an impression of efficiency, shook hands with the oldest members, Rossi and Hotchner.

This local station was bigger than the one in Margrave but much more modest than a precinct in a developed city like Wilshire.

"All we need is a table and an evidence board," Hotchner said, unconcerned about the facilities. Without needing instructions, Reid had already moved a nearby evidence board and started categorizing photos and writing key information on the board.

"Sheriff, if you don't mind, my team would like to visit the crime scenes," Rossi requested directly.

Sheriff Bruner seemed to appreciate the BAU's straightforward approach and nodded repeatedly.

"I'll arrange for the deputy sheriff to take you there immediately."

"Oh, by the way, the Las Vegas CSI team arrived early this morning. They're re-examining the bodies and checking the vehicle wreckage. They've preliminarily ruled out two cases as genuine traffic accidents."

"So, we now have four connected cases," Reid said, taking the files from Sheriff Bruner and replacing some photos on the evidence board. He then hung a map of the surrounding area in the blank space.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter