Chapter 9 - THE BLOOD ON THE FLOORLaboratory testing confirmed the scrubbed stain contained Ben’s blood.
Not just trace.
Enough that someone had tried to clean a visible spill.
Blood was also found on the edge of a low brick hearth near the living-room fireplace.
The pattern suggested impact but could not tell us exactly how.
Ben had suffered a scalp laceration.
Likely connection.
A small amount of Shane’s blood was found too.
One drop on the baseboard.
Shane explained:
“I cut my hand installing trim there months ago.”
Could be true.
Photos from a spring renovation showed him working in that room.
Blood DNA alone does not timestamp itself.
More interesting:
Fresh tool marks around the living-room boards matched the width and wear characteristics of a pry bar later recovered from a Walker Brothers work van.
Not unique enough to say:
this exact bar.
Thousands share dimensions.
But wood filler used over the new screws contained a product stocked in Walker Brothers’ shop.
Again, common.
Evidence accumulates through intersections.
Rarely one miracle clue.
Kessler said:
“The floor was opened and closed recently. That part I’m confident about.”
“How recently?”
May you like
“Days to weeks, based on fresh disturbance. I won’t give you an hour.”
Good forensic specialist.
