Medical Examiner Dr. Qin Episode 17 Recap
> Medical Examiner Dr. Qin Recap
A new murder case brought detectives Da Bao and Lin Tao to the scene, but their calls to Qin Ming went unanswered. Due to Qin Ming’s absence, Da Bao and Lin Tao were left to investigate the house, which belonged to the victim, Luo Yao. A neighbor had reported the crime after finding the front door ajar. There were no signs of forced entry, suggesting the perpetrator was known to the victim. No valuables were stolen from the property.
Upon initial examination, Da Bao noted the victim had bled profusely, losing at least a liter of blood, which indicated a major artery or internal organ injury. However, when they turned the body over, there were no large external wounds despite the extensive bloodstains. The scene also showed signs of a struggle, yet no fingerprints or footprints other than the victim's were found, leading Lin Tao to conclude that the killer possessed strong counter-reconnaissance skills.
A witness then approached Lin Tao, claiming to have seen a mysterious man running towards Luo Yao's house in the heavy rain between 7 and 8 PM. The witness described the man's appearance, including his black trench coat, brushed-up hair, single eyelids, high nose bridge, and a mole on his nose. Lin Tao, recalling Qin Ming's recent unusual behavior and his private re-investigation into his father Qin Song's death, showed the witness a photo of Qin Ming.
The witness confirmed Qin Ming was indeed the man she had seen. Back in the Forensic Examination Section, Lin Tao informed Da Bao about the witness's identification of Qin Ming near the crime scene. Da Bao tried calling Qin Ming again, but he still didn't answer. Lin Tao also revealed that Luo Yao had significant connections to Qin Ming and his father; Luo Yao was Qin Ming's advisor and a classmate of Qin Ming's father.
Lin Tao found this highly coincidental, but both he and Da Bao expressed disbelief that Qin Ming could be the killer. Da Bao proceeded with the autopsy. Based on the body temperature and rigor mortis, she estimated the time of death to be approximately two to three hours prior. After carefully cleaning the blood-covered body, Da Bao finally discovered a small puncture wound on the left side of the sternum, between the third and fourth ribs.
No other wounds were present on the body, nor were there signs of restraint. Inside the body, Da Bao found a small break in the left ventricle of the heart, with a larger tear in the pericardium, suggesting the murder weapon caused this upon withdrawal. Massive hemorrhage was determined to be the cause of death. Da Bao concluded that the wound was deep but not wide, indicating a very sharp, single-edged blade, approximately ten centimeters long, had been used.
The killer demonstrated an intimate knowledge of human anatomy, acting with precision and confidence, leading Da Bao to suspect the perpetrator was medically trained. Lin Tao was called to a meeting with a special investigation team. While he was gone, Da Bao meticulously researched the fatal wound on a model, testing various sharp objects.
She ultimately found that an autopsy scalpel perfectly matched the wound's characteristics, including the breakage on the skin wound where the handle of the narrow blade had also entered the body. Lin Tao presented the case to Director General Tan and the special investigation team. He reported that Luo Yao, a 56-year-old single man, was killed between 8 and 9 PM. The crime scene showed no forensic evidence from the killer, indicating strong anti-forensic capabilities.
Crucially, the murder weapon was identified as an autopsy scalpel, and a witness had identified Qin Ming near the crime scene at the time of the murder. Lin Tao explained the suspected motive: Qin Ming's father, Qin Song, had died 20 years ago in what was ruled a suicide due to dereliction of duty, but Qin Ming believed he was murdered, and Luo Yao was a suspect. Qin Ming currently had no alibi.
Da Bao interjected, arguing that if the killer truly possessed strong counter-reconnaissance skills, they might be attempting to frame Qin Ming by using an autopsy scalpel, an item clearly associated with him. She contended that an experienced forensic examiner like Qin Ming would not leave such an obvious clue. Director General Tan acknowledged Da Bao’s loyalty to Qin Ming but insisted that all evidence pointed towards him, making him the prime suspect.
Director General Tan then informed Da Bao that she must recuse herself from the case due to her close association with Qin Ming and instructed her to go home and rest. The investigation would be handed over to another team. After the meeting, Da Bao questioned Lin Tao, asking if he still believed Qin Ming was innocent. Lin Tao affirmed his belief but stressed that as forensic scientists and police detectives, they must always follow the evidence.
He added that the more they believed in Qin Ming, the more imperative it was for them to uncover the truth. Later, police arrived at Qin Ming's home to arrest him. Qin Ming, dazed and with a head injury, was just waking up and resisted but was forcibly taken into custody. A search of his residence uncovered an autopsy scalpel and a string of human molars. During the interrogation, Director General Tan pressed Qin Ming.
Qin Ming maintained that he was knocked unconscious before he could confront Luo Yao. He admitted that he had received a report written by his father, which confirmed Luo Yao was responsible for his father's death. However, he adamantly denied killing Luo Yao. Director General Tan then presented the string of molars, revealing that DNA testing confirmed they were human, not from a single individual, and some matched the DNA of victims from previous unsolved cases.
Qin Ming asserted that the molars were not his and that the entire situation was a meticulously planned frame-up, engineered to use his father’s death to lure him into a trap. Da Bao attempted to argue for her continued involvement in the case, citing her initial investigation. However, Director General Tan reiterated that Qin Ming's status as a suspect prevented her participation and sent her home. Da Bao watched helplessly as Qin Ming remained in the interrogation room.
