Homicide Detective Melinda Ybarra had taken over the lead in the case. She was walking about the scene with members of the Fresno County Sheriff's CSI unit. Upon a quick look, it appeared to be a burglary gone bad, certainly, with furniture pushed over, table tops wiped clean and dresser drawers emptied.
But Ybarra knew first impressions weren't always accurate. What solved homicides was the minutia, the details no one else but seasoned cops could find.
Gut instinct.
After all, the laundry room had been ransacked. But ... What thief rifled through a laundry room looking for valuables? Were Tide and Clorox suddenly garnering top dollar on the black market?
Ybarra knew the laundry room was an anomaly: a scene carefully designed to throw off the scent.