Ep 86. Sleight of Hand

In this episode of Forensic Files, we delve into the mysterious death of a young woman named Tina Marie Iverson. Tina was a professional magician and illusionist who had won several awards for her performances. She had a bright future ahead of her and was regarded as one of the most promising young talents in the world of magic.

On the night of October 20, 1996, Tina's body was found in her Las Vegas apartment. She was lying face down on her bed, with her hands and feet bound with duct tape and a plastic bag tied around her head. It was clear that she had been murdered, but the motive and the identity of the killer remained a mystery.

The police investigation was complicated by the fact that Tina had been a very private person who kept to herself and had few close friends. Her apartment was locked from the inside, and there were no signs of forced entry. The only clue was a playing card that had been left in her hand, the Queen of Hearts. It appeared to be a calling card left by her killer, but it offered no obvious explanation for the crime.

The case became even more puzzling when the police discovered that Tina's boyfriend, Javier Righetti, had been out of town on the night of the murder. He was initially considered a suspect, but his alibi checked out and he was eventually cleared of any involvement.

As the investigation dragged on, the police began to focus on Tina's past and her associations in the world of magic. They discovered that she had once been in a relationship with another magician named David Copperfield, who had gone on to become one of the most famous performers in the world. Copperfield was brought in for questioning, but denied any knowledge of the murder and was released without charge.

The breakthrough in the case came when the police received a tip from an unlikely source. A fellow magician named Mark Wilson revealed that he had received a phone call from a man who claimed to have killed Tina. The man, whose identity was not revealed, had apparently bragged to Wilson about committing the perfect crime.

With this new lead in hand, the police were able to gather enough evidence to make an arrest. The killer turned out to be a man named John Massis, a former employee of Tina's who had become obsessed with her. Massis had meticulously planned the murder, meticulously studying her every move and learning her routines, hoping to gain an advantage over her when he visited her home. When she rebuffed his advances, he snapped and killed her.

The case was a vivid reminder of the dangers that can lurk in the world of magic and illusion, where secrets and deception are part of the game. But it also showed the effectiveness of forensic science in solving even the most challenging crimes, and the tireless dedication of the police and investigators who work to bring killers to justice.