VA VA - Scott Ratigan, 24, found murdered in apartment, Arlington, 17 Jan 2020

[DaisyMaesMama]

I wonder if the apartment management kept records of when residents buzzed non-residents in? It’s possible the POI “tailgated” a resident and slipped in after them so in that case any possible data from the intercom system would be irrelevant and useless. But would be interesting to know if there’s any indication that Scott buzzed a person into the building at around 10:30am-ish (or even if another resident did).

I lived in this building for years right before this incident (2013-2019). There were multiple entrances (I can think of 6, but I am probably forgetting a few) that were very easy to tailgate into, so it would be unlikely they would have accurate records.

For further context, it’s a massive building, with a lot of people coming and going. The way the building is designed is two towers of 21 floors each, connected by a shared lobby on the first floor. There was also a convenience store attached on the first floor that was open to the public/street. It would be very common to have a lot of non-resident traffic as it was adjacent to a metro station, bus stop hub, and office buildings.

For entry points that I can recall (each required a fob/access)

- 2 each tower’s main entrance. During renovations, the main entrance for the entire building including the lobby was to moved to the other side temporarily.
- because of the size and volume of people in the building, at the time, concierge would allow sign ins and you could wait to go up but it was so busy that visitors often just walked up with/behind someone
- 2 entrances from the pool in the courtyard (in the space between the towers right across from the lobby on the first floor)
- a side/back entrance from the sidewalk/street on one tower
- the entrance from the convenience store
- entrances from the parking garage - the parking garage was accessed with a separate parking fob and then there were several entrances from the garage (garage was underneath, four or so levels, under both towers)


During the time of this murder, the entrance and first floor were also undergoing extensive renovations, so some of the keypads/entry access points weren’t active.

 

[Kittybunny]

Where the Sherman and Bevers cases involve potential disguises like Scotts, I could not help but think more about a different case. A case about a woman found murdered in her bed. Anita Knutson was found murdered in her bed in 2007.

After being away at college, her family became concerned for her and after not being able to get in contact with her, her father went to check on her. She had been stabbed in her chest as she lay in bed. The case had a few suspicious characters, such as a maintenance man, construction workers, and a male friend that acted a heck of a lot like Stephen McDaniel, crying and being weird at the crime scene etc.

There was a knife found cleaned in the sink, and the case went unsolved until 2022. Her female college roommate seemed to have a very solid alibi, and with all the aforementioned suspects being much more suspicious, she was ultimately charged and arrested for the murder in 2022. Arrest made in 2007 murder of Anita Knutson in Minot, North Dakota

This is a really great angle, and one I hadn’t really seriously thought of. When I really think about the possible motives here, there aren’t that many that make sense, but roommates don’t always get along. Unusual for it to rise to the level of murder but you never know. Since I’m sure the victims and girlfriend are considered victims, we won’t be able to post anything here about them, but it would be an interesting angle to explore.

Another case of a young man being killed in a high-rise was in NYC. A wealthy startup founder was killed by his assistant who had been stealing a lot of money from him. The founder had given him several chances to pay the money back, but the killer never did, and instead killed the poor guy when he threatened to go to police.

Tyrese Haspil: Former executive assistant to a tech CEO found decapitated has been convicted of murder | CNN

The former executive assistant of a tech CEO was found guilty Monday of murdering his boss – whom he then decapitated and dismembered – in 2020, according to a news release from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

amp.cnn.com

I doubt Scott had that kind of money, but fear of getting caught for stealing can be a powerful motive for some.

 

[dotr]

Neighbour, past or present? speculation.....
February 20, 2024

Four years after unsolved Ballston murder, no new details from police | ARLnow.com

A grim anniversary quietly passed last month: four years since the still-unsolved murder of Scott Ratigan. The 24-year-old was found dead with "trauma to the upper body" in his Ballston apartment in January 2020. The 911 caller reported a strong smell of bleach in the apartment, according to...

www.arlnow.com

The Ballston apartment building that was the scene of the unsolved Scott Ratigan murder (via Google Maps)

 

[hexicon]

This is my tinfoil hat case.

For many of the cases I follow, my theories have gotten simpler over time. Here, I think that principle doesn't apply. The degree of preparation makes this seem professional. Not professional in the mere sense that someone was paid to do it, but professional in the sense that this is someone who regularly commits murder and was trained to do so.

 

[vls12345]

I don't think that what the suspect is wearing or carrying would have attracted much notice. The D.C. area has a lot of people wearing black or navy, lots of dark colors. Also, with all the walkable areas, easy subway access/use, etc., carrying a backpack is totally normal. Another normal thing is lots of young professionals in the area, as well as many contract workers. Having lots of contractors means, in general, a more transient population (people maybe there for a 12 month contract), making it harder for eyewitnesses to pinpoint people who seem "out of place" and also that quite a few residents at the time of the murder may not even live in the area anymore.

Basically, this seems like finding a needle in a haystack as there is absolutely nothing odd or obvious that would make the suspect memorable in any way.

All my own opinions due to quite a bit of time traveling there over an extended period of time. MOO.

 

[cujenn81]

Where did the information that Scott was found in his bed come from?

I’m admittedly late to the game, but I’ve just read through this entire case thread. I’ve only seen it reported that SR was found in his bedroom. I haven’t seen anything about being found in his bed.

BREAKING: Police Release Surveillance Video of ‘Person of Interest’ in Ballston Murder | ARLnow.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njY2yh_9Hzg Police are releasing new photos, video and information in the year-old unsolved murder of a 24-year-old man in a Ballston apartment. Scott Ratigan was founded bloodied and unresponsive in his bedroom, at the AVA Ballston Square apartment building (850...

www.arlnow.com

The adult male victim was located inside his bedroom suffering from trauma to the upper body and was pronounced deceased on scene by medics.

I also skimmed through quite a few articles on Google, but they all say the same thing. Can someone provide an approved link that says he was actually found in bed? I only ask because that paints a very different picture of the crime, in my opinion.

 

[hexicon]

In addition to Anita's case, I am also reminded of Shelby Thornburgh. Shelby put an ad on Craigslist for adult services. An unidentified man met her in a hotel room and was caught on CCTV. He managed to go to her room and make an EXRTREMELY messy gorey scene in the room and leave wearing the exact same clothing without a drop on him. I have attached the images.

In Shelby's case I think the answer is pretty simple: The killer took off his clothes before he cut her throat from behind. As a sex worker, she would not have been alarmed by a client removing his clothing. Even though he wasn't in the room for very long he would also have had a chance to take a shower. I feel bad that Shelby's case has not received much publicity because it seems like the man should be identifiable from the footage.

In Scott's case, I doubt the killer stripped before the crime. (I know some have theorized it was a scheduled gay hookup, but if Scott was on the DL would he really bring a hookup to an apartment he shared with his sister?) I think that the killer may have had a change of clothing in the backpack if it became necessary. And we don't know how Scott was killed. "Upper body trauma" could mean a lot of things, so it's possible that the killer could have used a method that did not result in a lot of blood.

My personal guess is a firearm with a suppressor. The murder took place in an apartment building. Pre-Covid, a building full of young professionals would be mostly empty during the day, but a killer would still have to assume that some neighbors would be present. A person who commits a violent, premediated murder in an occupied building by any other means (stabbing/bludgeoning/strangling) would have to be VERY confident that they could surprise and subdue their victim before the victim could struggle or cry out. Scott was a fit, athletic young man, so given the evidence of premeditation the killer would have to consider this. (Also, I know that suppressors don't make a shot "silent," but it might make the sound more consistent with those normally heard in an apartment building, such as hammering a nail or dropping an object on a hard floor). As seen in the Missy Bevers case, LE may want to withhold information about a gunshot as COD.

 

[branmuffin]

Was it ever figured out how the POI got into his apartment? Have we looked into his employer? Any reason to believe he was a possible whistleblower for the company he worked for?

I haven’t researched this case too much yet, but my immediate suspicions fall on the employer, or that he had information about something that someone in a position of power did not want to get out to the public for whatever reason.

We don't really know if the POI is the actual suspect. He just happened to be in the area of the murder. He's wearing a facemask pre-Covid which makes him suspicious. I think he may have something to do with the murder but I also wondered if the guy was a bicycle courier since in Toronto bicycle couriers have been known to wear facemasks to protect from exhaust.

 

[branmuffin]

Thanks.

Konica Minolta, his employer, was involved in a whistleblower case in August 2020, about 7 months after his murder.

Konica Minolta settles electronic health records whistleblower case for $500,000 | Phillips & Cohen

NEWARK, NJ, Aug. 27, 2020 – Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas has agreed to pay $500,000 to the federal government to settle a whistleblower case filed by Phillips & Cohen LLP that alleged an electronic health records company it acquired had cheated on certification tests to hide safety and...

www.phillipsandcohen.com

Was it possible he had information relating to this case that the employer did not want to get out? Without much to go on, I think the employer needs to be scrutinized more.

This was a highly targeted, professional contract killing. Someone with a lot of money wanted him dead. There are only a few reasons why this might be, one of which is because he had damaging information.

I find the fine the company paid to be small potatoes, not worth killing someone for. It's in line with fines lots of companies pay for various charges. Also the complaint was sealed in 2017 so I wonder whether SR even worked Minolta at the age of 21; he may have still been in university.

 

[branmuffin]

I wonder if the apartment management kept records of when residents buzzed non-residents in? It’s possible the POI “tailgated” a resident and slipped in after them so in that case any possible data from the intercom system would be irrelevant and useless. But would be interesting to know if there’s any indication that Scott buzzed a person into the building at around 10:30am-ish (or even if another resident did).

That's moving into Big Brother scenarios where your visitors are tracked. You open the door for pizza deliveries as well as visitors so I just can't see that being a thing. It would be concerning if I found my apartment owner was checking my comings and goings as well as those of visitors.

And people have to remember the POI in the videos with the strange gait is just that: a person of interest. At no time has LE ever suggested this person is the suspect, imo. He was in the general area at the right time and the right place. The only reason, I think, they've zeroed in on him is because they are out of ideas and he was covering his face pre-Covid. If that really is the only thing that's highlighting his status as POI, I'm glad this murder didn't occur in areas where there is a high Asian population since they are a demographic that constantly wears facemasks because that's what they've been used to living in high pollution areas.

 

[branmuffin]

In Shelby's case I think the answer is pretty simple: The killer took off his clothes before he cut her throat from behind. As a sex worker, she would not have been alarmed by a client removing his clothing. Even though he wasn't in the room for very long he would also have had a chance to take a shower. I feel bad that Shelby's case has not received much publicity because it seems like the man should be identifiable from the footage.

In Scott's case, I doubt the killer stripped before the crime. (I know some have theorized it was a scheduled gay hookup, but if Scott was on the DL would he really bring a hookup to an apartment he shared with his sister?) I think that the killer may have had a change of clothing in the backpack if it became necessary. And we don't know how Scott was killed. "Upper body trauma" could mean a lot of things, so it's possible that the killer could have used a method that did not result in a lot of blood.

My personal guess is a firearm with a suppressor. The murder took place in an apartment building. Pre-Covid, a building full of young professionals would be mostly empty during the day, but a killer would still have to assume that some neighbors would be present. A person who commits a violent, premediated murder in an occupied building by any other means (stabbing/bludgeoning/strangling) would have to be VERY confident that they could surprise and subdue their victim before the victim could struggle or cry out. Scott was a fit, athletic young man, so given the evidence of premeditation the killer would have to consider this. (Also, I know that suppressors don't make a shot "silent," but it might make the sound more consistent with those normally heard in an apartment building, such as hammering a nail or dropping an object on a hard floor). As seen in the Missy Bevers case, LE may want to withhold information about a gunshot as COD.

It depends on whether the victim was agreeable to certain kinds of behavior that could ultimately end in death or injury. If the killer entered the apartment as an expected visitor then who knows whether SR complied.

I personally don't see a GSW as the COD because the sister and friend thought he'd had a cardiac arrest. The only way a GSW could have been overlooked is if the point of entry was in an area where little blood loss would occur, like a head wound created by a .22. And if a gun was used why wouldn't LE state that? Why not release a salient detail that could further the investigation?

When the issue of bleach comes up the go to response is someone cleaning up blood. But that could be equally true of other bodily fluids like semen, saliva, urine, etc. It could also be used to destroy hair and skin cell DNA. If something was overlooked by the killer when using bleach and LE were able to collect some DNA it's possible they checked records on file from other suspects and drawn a blank. It also may mean they've tried to access companies that do DNA analysis for ancestry purposes and drawn a blank there, too. It's also possible that the victim got a bath in bleach to hide the perps DNA without blood being involved at all.

Four and half years later and we hear diddly squat from LE and the family. The only update I've read is the February 20/24 update to let us no there's no updates.

 

[hexicon]

I personally don't see a GSW as the COD because the sister and friend thought he'd had a cardiac arrest. The only way a GSW could have been overlooked is if the point of entry was in an area where little blood loss would occur, like a head wound created by a .22. And if a gun was used why wouldn't LE state that? Why not release a salient detail that could further the investigation?

Post #8 in this thread has audio of the aid dispatch, which refers to "blood coming from his hands, mouth, and neck," and it also referred to the smell of bleach. (The news voiceover confusingly says "ruled cardiac arrest" but there wasn't any "ruling" that the case was cardiac arrest. I think it's how 911 categorized the call for purposes of sending aid.)

So that could be consistent with a small caliber shot to the head, especially in the ear or mouth, or a slashing/stabbing. The blood on the hands could be defensive injuries or from him putting his hands to his wounds.

As for not releasing the (potential) gunshot info, I totally agree.

In the Missy Bevers case, the local police in Texas tapdanced around the gunshot info. The police there used the mysterious circumlocution "multiple puncture wounds found on her head and chest" that were "consistent with tools the suspect was carrying throughout the building." (The person on the video was seen carrying something that looked like a hammer.) We only know it was a gunshot wound because the police reported the data to the FBI as explained on Missy's thread, and we don't know if there were also injuries from the hammer.

IMO I don't understand how the investigation benefits from LE's decision to withhold this info. Clearly a lot of info is being withheld overall.

 

[landfall867]

We don't really know if the POI is the actual suspect. He just happened to be in the area of the murder. He's wearing a facemask pre-Covid which makes him suspicious. I think he may have something to do with the murder but I also wondered if the guy was a bicycle courier since in Toronto bicycle couriers have been known to wear facemasks to protect from exhaust.

But why cover up the logo of his backpack? It seems like he was trying very hard to cover up his identity.

 

[branmuffin]

Post #8 in this thread has audio of the aid dispatch, which refers to "blood coming from his hands, mouth, and neck," and it also referred to the smell of bleach. (The news voiceover confusingly says "ruled cardiac arrest" but there wasn't any "ruling" that the case was cardiac arrest. I think it's how 911 categorized the call for purposes of sending aid.)

So that could be consistent with a small caliber shot to the head, especially in the ear or mouth, or a slashing/stabbing. The blood on the hands could be defensive injuries or from him putting his hands to his wounds.

As for not releasing the (potential) gunshot info, I totally agree.

In the Missy Bevers case, the local police in Texas tapdanced around the gunshot info. The police there used the mysterious circumlocution "multiple puncture wounds found on her head and chest" that were "consistent with tools the suspect was carrying throughout the building." (The person on the video was seen carrying something that looked like a hammer.) We only know it was a gunshot wound because the police reported the data to the FBI as explained on Missy's thread, and we don't know if there were also injuries from the hammer.

IMO I don't understand how the investigation benefits from LE's decision to withhold this info. Clearly a lot of info is being withheld overall.

I'll have to go back and check but I fail to understand why his sister thought he had a cardiac arrest if he was covered with blood. Not denying there could have been blood but identifying it as a cardiac arrest does seem strange. I sort of remember that he had wounds on his extremities which may have been defensive wounds to his hands and arms which suggests fending off some type of attack.

 

[lonewanderer]

I'll have to go back and check but I fail to understand why his sister thought he had a cardiac arrest if he was covered with blood. Not denying there could have been blood but identifying it as a cardiac arrest does seem strange. I sort of remember that he had wounds on his extremities which may have been defensive wounds to his hands and arms which suggests fending off some type of attack.

Some more context would be nice.

Maybe it’s possible she saw the blood from his mouth and saw some on his hands and thought he was using his hands to try and stop his mouth from spitting up blood? For sure need more context.

I do remember a case of a man found dead in a hotel room and it appeared he died of natural causes, but the autopsy showed a bullet had passed through his (I think thigh) and into his stomach leaving virtually no blood. He was thought to have had a natural death. Turns out, the idiots in the room next to him shot off a bullet in a gun by accident and it traveled through the wall and entered the man as he was watching TV. The cops realized there was a small hole in the wall that had been covered up with toothpaste.

I will have to recheck this case, as I cannot remember if he was found with blood around or not.

 

[DeDee]

When 911 was called for the Nov 2022 deaths of 4 students at the U of Idaho, the transmission went out for "an unconscious person." People must be declared legally dead before 911 transmissions of such can be reported, is my understanding. We were told Scott had upper body trauma which aligns, however slightly, with cardiac arrest.

It was interesting to read about the whistleblower theory. Thanks for that data.

@cujenn81 You've made an excellent point about whether or not Scott was discovered in his bed vs located in his bedroom. I wonder if his bedroom door was locked when his sister and their guests arrived at 5:30.

I suppose a small caliber gunshot wound to the head or chest would be quieter and quicker than a brutal knife attack. Why would the killer want to use bleach to clean up after a gunshot wound? If only we knew the motive...

 

[DeDee]

Post #8 in this thread has audio of the aid dispatch, which refers to "blood coming from his hands, mouth, and neck," and it also referred to the smell of bleach. (The news voiceover confusingly says "ruled cardiac arrest" but there wasn't any "ruling" that the case was cardiac arrest. I think it's how 911 categorized the call for purposes of sending aid.)

So that could be consistent with a small caliber shot to the head, especially in the ear or mouth, or a slashing/stabbing. The blood on the hands could be defensive injuries or from him putting his hands to his wounds.

As for not releasing the (potential) gunshot info, I totally agree.

In the Missy Bevers case, the local police in Texas tapdanced around the gunshot info. The police there used the mysterious circumlocution "multiple puncture wounds found on her head and chest" that were "consistent with tools the suspect was carrying throughout the building." (The person on the video was seen carrying something that looked like a hammer.) We only know it was a gunshot wound because the police reported the data to the FBI as explained on Missy's thread, and we don't know if there were also injuries from the hammer.

IMO I don't understand how the investigation benefits from LE's decision to withhold this info. Clearly a lot of info is being withheld overall.

Missy Bevers' case is a great example of how LE will not disclose the tools used to inflict death as only the killer should know. Good summary on all those points. Her wounds, described as puncture wounds, can be caused from discharged bullets.

The POI is small in stature which greatly contrasts with Scott's much taller physique. Probably a good foot shorter than Scott and likely below average for the height of a male. The killer had a way of taking control. I have no doubt he went there to kill Scott Ratigan but I don't know why.

Scott had upper body trauma which could fall under the umbrella of a gunshot to the head plus cause the bleeding from facial orifices. The killer is with Scott at least an hour! Some of that time he's cleaning with bleach. He had time to wash and dry a load of clothes.

"Killer arrives at Scott's apt. around 11am. Killer is seen leaving high rise apts via cctv by 12:20pm."
Source is Aaron's study on the shadows in the cctv.

 

[branmuffin]

But why cover up the logo of his backpack? It seems like he was trying very hard to cover up his identity.

I have no idea but what we are seeing as covering up a logo to avoid identification could be as simple as covering a slit or hole in the backpack. It could be reflective tape if he rides a bike at night. Maybe the guy has a job with a company which is the covered up logo's competition so he covered it up. Maybe it was covered up to hide his identity and he's guilty as sin. Maybe. I'm trying to keep an open mind here.

One thing that concerns me about the video of this guy is LE has never released a video of him either entering or exiting the building. That would make me a lot more confident that he is not only a POI but a possible suspect. It reminds me of the Sherman double murder in Toronto in December 2017. In 2021 they released a video of some old guy walking down a snow covered street close to the Sherman residence. He also had a strange gait as if he had a prosthetic leg. But really, four freaking years later you release a random video of some guy walking down a street nearby? If anything suggested a murder investigation going stone cold, that was it. Not nearly as bad here though, because it was released in a more timely manner. However, without LE actually verifying that this person entered and left SR's building during a crucial period on the day he was murdered then I can't really say unequivocally that he's suspect #1. And if he's completely innocent I can understand why he didn't come forward. There's too many knives out for someone like that.