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

[Razz]

Truly! And the entire crime boggles my mind. How he made his way into the apartment complex somehow, presumably got lucky with Scott's door being unlocked, managed to murder him and clean up the crime scene, and escaped without a hitch. And somehow no one recognizing him from the video footage.

If Scott had been chatting with this person online, I'm sure LE would've been able to glean their identity, so who could it have been? :/ Still feel like it was someone known to him or perhaps known to one of his loved ones that was jealous of him for whatever reason...

I don't recall that Scott's door had been unlocked. There had been discussion about how the perp was able to gain entrance into the apartment. (Dressed to look like a messenger...possibly to gain entry). If the door was unlocked, that's a new wrinkle I was unaware of.

 

[moonglow123]

I don't recall that Scott's door had been unlocked. There had been discussion about how the perp was able to gain entrance into the apartment. (Dressed to look like a messenger...possibly to gain entry). If the door was unlocked, that's a new wrinkle I was unaware of.

Ah, nah, I put the “presumably” there because I’m not sure I just assumed honestly, based on the circumstances. His sister was going to the airport but planned to be back within a few hours, it doesn’t seem like there were signs of forced entry and no neighbors heard a commotion as far as we’re aware, I’m just guessing. May not be true.

 

[Aquabot13]

Ah, nah, I put the “presumably” there because I’m not sure I just assumed honestly, based on the circumstances. His sister was going to the airport but planned to be back within a few hours, it doesn’t seem like there were signs of forced entry and no neighbors heard a commotion as far as we’re aware, I’m just guessing. May not be true.

I'll admit to being guilty of not always locking my apartment door - being in a high rise with a doorman and fobbed elevators gives a false sense of security.

With those measures in place, the odds of someone happening upon my apartment door being unlocked are basically zero.

If they were beelining for my apartment, though? It would be pretty easy to get in. People in large complexes hold doors, one person fobs for the whole elevator of people, boom - you're in front of my unlocked door.

This seems so targeted. How else would someone get all the way to the apartment AND happen to catch him alone AND happen to be able to get in? But why target Scott?

MOO

 

[Razz]

I'll admit to being guilty of not always locking my apartment door - being in a high rise with a doorman and fobbed elevators gives a false sense of security.

With those measures in place, the odds of someone happening upon my apartment door being unlocked are basically zero.

If they were beelining for my apartment, though? It would be pretty easy to get in. People in large complexes hold doors, one person fobs for the whole elevator of people, boom - you're in front of my unlocked door.

This seems so targeted. How else would someone get all the way to the apartment AND happen to catch him alone AND happen to be able to get in? But why target Scott?

MOO

Well, that's the question. But yes, imo it was definitely targeted.

 

[moonglow123]

Seriously. It’s all utterly baffling. I feel like investigators would’ve been able to trawl his phone and determine whether it was a planned meeting - it didn’t seem to be, at least as far as we know. So, how exactly did this transpire? Who was this person?

It’s all so perplexing. I really hope they solve it one day They do say they’re still actively working on it.

 

[Aquabot13]

This is an interesting case that I have just taken a bit of a deep dive into.

This is a situation where a low risk individual, who no one appears to have anything to gain or any other motive, is murdered. Something that is obvious is that this was a well planned murder targeting Scott directly. Anyone going to that much effort to mitigate risk is not going to knock on random doors in order to murder whatever unlucky victim happens to answer the door. Too many things left to chance; multiple people home, people not answering unexpected knocks, security cameras actually working etc. There are plenty of safer ways to just kill anybody. It was Scott he was after.

The murder happened at a time Scott would be expected to be at work yet the guy knew he would be there and would be let in. How else would the killer know he was off work? He could have called him at his office but that would not tell him if he was home alone. I’m less certain, but still strongly suspect, that Scott was expecting this visitor and buzzed him in. Scott knew him and trusted him enough to let him enter his apartment.

The motive would be the best clue but people are murdered for the flimsiest of reasons: jealousy, revenge, vindictiveness etc. It is also possible that someone become enthralled with the idea of committing a “perfect murder” and choice of victim was a secondary consideration. Still, Scott was bigger and taller than the perpetrator. He was hardly an easy kill. He was chosen for a reason. I’m wondering if it was someone from his past that his current friends were unaware he was still in contact with.

Combining this discussion with the convo about whether or not the door was unlocked - have we considered the possibility that the perp
1. Knew they left their door unlocked (if they did)
2. DID expect Scott to be at work
3. Did NOT expect the sister to be gone

What if the sister was the target and the perp killed Scott in a panic? I haven't heard anything about a confrontation, but maybe he thought Scott saw or heard him?

That could open the door to more motives, including sexual ones, unfortunately. The perp was obviously prepared to commit a crime, but maybe the one he committed wasn't the original plan?

MOO