eurekapd Chapter 1523 On-site identification, bringing the perpetrators to justice
Chapter 1523 On-site identification, bringing the perpetrators to justice
After finishing his statement, Li Dequan broke down in tears again, his voice filled with endless remorse. His confession perfectly matched the clues and physical evidence gathered by the police, clearly reconstructing the entire process of how he, after being scammed out of money, lost control and killed Zhang Baoqing, then disposed of the body to cover up his crime. Xiao Wang meticulously recorded the entire interrogation, accurately noting every word he uttered, while Li Ming observed the entire process to confirm that his confession was without loopholes or omissions.
After the interrogation, Li Ming immediately arranged for his team to compile and archive Li Dequan's interrogation transcript. Simultaneously, they compiled the extracted evidence, including the fruit knife, the jacket with suspected bloodstains, and the IOU, along with the laboratory's bloodstain analysis report (confirming that the bloodstains on the fruit knife and jacket belonged to Zhang Baoqing), into a single document, thus securing all the evidence. With this, the interrogation of Li Dequan's intentional homicide case was successfully concluded, all evidence chains were complete and sufficient to establish Li Dequan's criminal acts.
To further refine the case investigation process and ensure the accuracy of every detail, Li Ming decided to lead his team to escort Li Dequan to the crime scene and the location where the body was disposed of for on-site identification. Around 20 PM that afternoon, as night deepened and the autumn wind grew increasingly biting, Li Ming led five team members, escorting Li Dequan, who was handcuffed and shackled, to the ditch on the north side of the eastern section of Jianshe Road and the surrounding area to conduct the on-site identification.
Upon arriving at the scene, the team first established a basic perimeter, preventing unauthorized personnel from approaching. They then removed some of the restraints from Li Dequan, allowing him to walk normally and lead the police to the relevant locations. At this point, Li Dequan was no longer the panic and resistance he had shown earlier; his eyes were numb, and his face was deathly pale. Escorted by the team, he walked step by step towards the crime scene, each step feeling exceptionally heavy.
“This is it. Zhang Baoqing and I had a heated argument here, and then I stabbed him with a fruit knife.” Li Dequan stopped and pointed to an open space below the residential building, his voice hoarse, tinged with fear and regret. Li Ming signaled to his team members to record the scene in detail with their body cameras. At the same time, he arranged for technical team members to conduct a thorough re-examination of the area to confirm whether any traces or physical evidence had been missed. The team members performed their duties in an orderly manner, carefully taking photos, recording details, and securing relevant evidence for identification at the scene.
Then, escorted by his team members, Li Dequan walked step by step along the path north of the ditch to the location where he had dumped the body—the ditch on the north side of the eastern section of Jianshe Road. "After I stabbed him to death, I dragged his body into the ditch along this path and threw it there," Li Dequan said slowly, pointing to a muddy area in the middle of the ditch. His eyes darted away, unable to look directly at the dark ditch, as if he were seeing the scene again.
Li Ming looked in the direction he pointed, which was the spot where the police had initially discovered Zhang Baoqing's body. He signaled to his team to reconfirm the area, and at the same time, asked Li Dequan to describe in detail the specific process of disposing of the body, the actions taken, and how the traces of the body were covered. Li Dequan truthfully confessed everything, and every detail closely matched the police's previous investigation results and autopsy conclusions, further confirming his crime.
In addition, Li Dequan led the police to identify the locations where he hid his tools and bloodstained clothing—room 302 of the workers' dormitory at the Xingfu construction site, as well as the convenience store where he bought the fruit knife and the trash can where he discarded the shoes he wore during the crime. At each location, Li Dequan described the scene and his actions in detail. The team members recorded the entire process with body cameras, took photos, and secured evidence to ensure the legality, standardization, and accuracy of the identification work.
The on-site identification process lasted approximately one hour, concluding around 21 PM. Throughout the process, Li Dequan cooperated fully with the police, offering no resistance or concealment, truthfully identifying all locations related to the case, and providing a detailed account of every aspect of the crime. After the identification, the officers handcuffed and shackled Li Dequan again, escorting him back to the police car to return to the Criminal Investigation Division.
Upon returning to the Criminal Investigation Division, Li Ming led his team to organize and archive the relevant records, photos, videos, and other evidence from the scene identification, integrating them with previous interrogation transcripts, physical evidence examination reports, autopsy reports, and other materials to form a complete case file. Subsequently, Li Ming organized a case summary meeting to comprehensively review and debrief the entire investigation process.
At the meeting, Li Ming expressed his gratitude to all the team members involved in the case investigation, forensic doctor Zhang Lin, and laboratory staff. He stated that the case of the unidentified male corpse found in the ditch on Jianshe Road was complex, the perpetrator was highly aware of counter-investigation tactics, and there were few clues left at the scene, making the investigation quite difficult. However, all staff members remained at their posts, worked tirelessly, and conducted autopsies, interviews, physical evidence examinations, and interrogations. In just one day, they identified the deceased, identified the suspect, successfully solved the case, apprehended the perpetrator, and brought justice to the deceased.
Each team member reported on their work during the case investigation, the problems encountered, and their solutions. They exchanged experiences, summarized shortcomings, and accumulated valuable experience for handling similar cases in the future. Forensic pathologist Zhang Lin added that the smooth progress of the autopsy, providing precise support for the case investigation, was inseparable from the efficient cooperation of the laboratory staff and the relevant clues collected by the criminal investigation team. It was through multi-party collaboration that the cause of death and the victim's identity were quickly determined.
After the debriefing, Li Ming announced that the investigation into the unidentified male corpse case in the Jianshe Road ditch (the Li Dequan intentional homicide case) had officially concluded. The suspect, Li Dequan, will be transferred to the procuratorate for review and prosecution on suspicion of intentional homicide, given the conclusive evidence and clear facts. He will face severe legal punishment. The identity of the deceased, Zhang Baoqing, has been confirmed, and the police have contacted his family to inform them of the situation and assist them with funeral arrangements.
Late at night, the lights of the Criminal Investigation Division were still on, and the team members were still busy organizing case files and completing relevant procedures. Although exhausted, everyone's face showed a relieved smile. This high-profile intentional homicide case had finally come to a close. The murderer received his due punishment, the victim could rest in peace, and justice had arrived as scheduled. The cold autumn wind still howled, but at this moment, this city felt warmer and more peaceful because of this justice.