Eliana Legatt

Ms. Howard

Forensic Science

27 June 2023

Cool Cop Chronicles Volume 1: Kill Bill

Kill Bill by SZA

Scene opens with a shot of a man walking through a busy street, and getting into a police car.

The sirens turn on, and the camera follows the car from above as the credits appear. After

following the car, for a while, the car slows and a man gets out of the car. The shot slowly pans

up to reveal his face as he puts on sunglasses (the perfect shot to show how cool this cop is). The

camera follows him walking into the station and into a meeting room with the other officers…

After some time introducing the characters and their dynamic, the gang (of cops) will boogy on

over to the newest crime scene: the murder of Bill Jackson and his wife Carly Jackson. COOL

COP gets out of the car and starts walking through a suburban area with his pals over to the

crime scene.

COOL COP: Talk to me, Jim.

JIM: Well, Bill Jackson and his wife Carly Jackson were murdered last night, at approximately

11 pm. The neighbor, Solána Imani Rowe, a famous singer also known as SZA, called the police

at about 9 am this morning when there was no answer at the door. She said she received some of

the Jackson’s mail by accident, and just went over to return it to them, it looked urgent.

COOL COP: And?

JIM: Well it turns out it wasn’t that urgent, it was just an Arby’s gift card.

COOL COP: No stupid! And what about the murder?

JIM: Oh right. Haha… Uh well, Bill was found on the kitchen floor with a stab wound in his

back and Carly was found in the bedroom with a stab wound on her chest. The knife has not yet

been found.

The gang duck under the crime scene tape and enter the crime scene. Forensics are already on

the case, and COOL COP has a lot to figure out - so he proceeds with a permanent grouchy (but

cool) eyebrow furrow and frown™. They enter through the front door, no sign of forced entry.

They then walk to the kitchen to see the first body. The room is eerily tidy, no scuff marks, and no

sign of struggle. It seems the assailant was someone Bill knew.

COOL COP: Good mornin’.

FORENSIC JACKIE: Same to you. Seems like we had a better morning than some though, best

not to say that loud enough for the bodies to hear.

COOL COP: (smiles and smirks) So, what evidence have we gathered so far?

FORENSIC JACKIE: Well so far the evidence that I, not we, have gathered is mostly just trace

evidence. (bends down, and picks up a hair from the body with forceps, then packages it in a

paper bindle then a plastic evidence bag as they continue to talk) A few hairs were found around

the room and on Bill, they were very long black hairs with a tight-ish curl. Some rare and

strangely vibrant red fibers were also found on the body. Hmm. It’s a real head-scratcher.

COOL COP: Hmm indeed. Thanks, Jackie, keep me posted.

FORENSIC JACKIE: Yeah

COOL COP walks up to another police officer at the scene.

COOL COP: What’s the 411? Any suspects? And where is the neighbor witness?

NOT-SO-COOL COP: Well so far, not too many suspects. Everyone seems to love both of them,

including a very enthusiastic farmer's market peach vendor. We are tracking down some of their

other friends and family though, and we might get a clearer picture from them. As for the

neighbor, she's in her front yard talking to another cop. She's very reserved, I think she's in

shock.

COOL COP: I see. Thanks.

COOL COP leaves to speak to the neighbor.

COOL COP: Hello, I’m Officer Cool Cop, how are you doing?

SZA: Umm hi, I’m SZA. I’m fine.

COOL COP: May I ask you a few questions?

SZA: Sure.

COOL COP: Can you go over how you arrived at the crime scene?

SZA: I went out to my mailbox to get my mail, and I saw a letter that was addressed to (hesitates

with sad expression)... them. I accidentally opened it before I realized it was theirs, and it read

“Most Important Gift For my Most Important Son.” Well, it sounded important, so I went over to

give it to Bill, but when I knocked on the door, there was no answer. Bill and Carly usually have

their morning coffee on their front porch, I see them when I leave for work, so this was

concerning. I called the police just to be safe.

COOL COP: I see. Do you have that letter now?

SZA: (gets letter from next to her, and hands it to COOL COP) Yes, here you go.

COOL COP opens the letter. The note was very short, then signed, “Love, Mom.” In the

envelope was a 5-dollar Arbys gift card.

COOL COP: Getting back to the incident, how well do you know Mr. and Mrs. Jackson?

SZA: Well I knew Bill for longer. He used to live alone in that house for about two years, then

Carly moved in when they got married. I think that was about 7 months ago.

COOL COP: So you two were friends then?

SZA: Not really. We didn’t spend that much time together, but we were friendly.

COOL COP: I see. Do you happen to know anything about the couple’s relationship or anyone

else they know that could be important?

SZA: No, everyone loved them, and they loved each other (frowns slightly).

COOL COP: (notices her change in expression) I see. Well, I think those are all of my questions

for now.

NOT-SO-COOL COP walks over.

COOL COP: Here is Not-so-cool Cop, he will ask you a few more questions, then you are free to

go.

SZA nods. COOL COP leaves and goes back to the crime scene. He makes his way to the

bedroom, to see the other body. Carly was laying on her bed, the stab wound on her chest. It
looked like the assailant had murdered her while she was asleep…. The gang and friends head

back to the station.

JIM: Crazy situation. Any ideas on what happened, Cool Cop?

COOL COP: Well there were no signs of forced entry, so it would have been someone Bill knew.

The wife was asleep it seems, so she may or may not have known the assailant. We need to talk

to their friends to see if there is anyone they know that could do this.

NOT-SO-COOL COP enters.

COOL COP: Any news?

NOT-SO-COOL COP: Yeah, Bill’s friend, Johnny, is here. Seems they were close, he’s known

him since college, he's a former roommate, and he was Bill’s best man at his wedding. Anyway,

he heard about what happened and wants to help.

COOL COP: Thanks. On my way now.

COOL COP enters the private room the friend was sent to, and shakes his hand.

COOL COP: Hello, I’m Cool Cop. You must be Bill’s friend Johnny.

JOHNNY BOY: Yeah, and nice to meet you.

COOL COP: I am so sorry for your loss.

JOHNNY BOY: Thanks.

Some exchange of pleasantries later…

COOL COP: Do you know of anyone that had a negative relationship with Bill?

JOHNNY BOY: Everyone loved him. One person, a little too much.

COOL COP: What do you mean?

JOHNNY BOY: He used to date this girl, SZA, they’re neighbors now. They dated for maybe

two months like a year ago and she never really got over him. She has tried to get back together

with him multiple times, including after his engagement and after his wedding. She did not take

their wedding well, to say the least.

COOL COP: What do you mean?

JOHNNY BOY: She was just in denial about the whole thing. She used to scream at him for

leaving her when she could get him alone. Bill was way too nice, and he forgave her every time.

She really thought he had stabbed her in the back by leaving, seems she tried to return the favor.

COOL COP: How long ago was she fighting with him?
JOHNNY BOY: Well, he got married about seven months ago, and she didn’t stop until maybe

three months ago. I think the last time they talked was around then because I remember Bill

calling me to tell me about it. She apologized for her behavior and said she started therapy like

he suggested she do. She said she was maturing or something. She said it was helping and that

she would leave him alone. If you ask me though, I don’t think her anger or love toward him ever

changed, but I guess I don’t have any proof of that being the case.

COOL COP: Do you think she did this?

JOHNNY BOY: I would bet my life on it. I can’t think of anyone else that could have done this.

COOL COP: I see. What about his family, do you know much about them?

JOHNNY BOY: No, not really, but neither did Bill. His mother died and his dad isn’t that

involved in his life. The rest of his family is a mystery, I never met them.

COOL COP: Sorry, his mother died?

JOHNNY BOY: Yes.

COOL COP: How long ago?

JOHNNY BOY: She died when he was ten years old. Cancer.

COOL COP: Oh.

JOHNNY BOY: Do you need to know anything else?

COOL COP: No, I think this is alright for now. We might call you back in for more information

if need be. Thank you for coming to tell us all this.

JOHNNY BOY: Of course. Anything I can do to help.

JOHNNY BOY leaves and COOL COP goes back to the meeting room with JIM. COOL COP

catches JIM up on the situation.

JIM: Wait, his mother is dead? Wasn’t that letter SZA showed us signed “love mom?” And

wasn’t it addressed to her son? That doesn’t make any sense.

COOL COP: No it doesn’t. The name on the envelope was Bill Jackson and the address was

correct. And we already checked, there are no other Bill Jacksons for at least 300 miles. We also

just heard from a witness that SZA was seen wearing a bright red jacket earlier on the day of the

murder.

JIM: Well, it looks like she’s just become suspect number one.

COOL COP: Yeah, but we’ll need Forensic Jackie’s help to catch her.

FORENSIC JACKIE enters the room.

FORENSIC JACKIE: I’ve got some test results back.

COOL COP: Talk to me.

FORENSIC JACKIE: We were able to obtain a hair sample from SZA and we did tests on the

hair from the crime scene and hers - and we were very thorough. The hairs found at the crime

scene were definitely human hairs because we saw imbricate scales on them under a microscope.

Isotope analysis shows that whoever the hair belonged to must live in this general region, so no

traveling serial killers. Chemical and radiological analysis showed that both SZA’s sample hairs

and the hair from the crime scene had no evidence of substance use.

JIM: Wait, so the murderer did all of this sober?

FORENSIC JACKIE: Seems like. Both samples had also undergone some type of the same hair

treatment because they fluoresced under certain wavelengths of light. We examined them with an

objective lens and a special condenser with a compound microscope, and honestly, they look

indistinguishable. They are also both the same length, within half a centimeter of each other, and

it’s not that often that you find three-foot-long hairs. No way to say it’s for sure a 100% match,

but it sure seems that way.

COOL COP: That’s a big help. Thank you.

FORENSIC JACKIE: Of course. We also did some tests on that red fiber I found. It seems to be

a blend of animal and seed fibers, specifically wool and cotton. They are definitely natural fibers

because they were damaged by microorganisms and melted at higher temperatures. We tested the
fiber against other cloth Bill Jackson could have come into contact with before dying that was

not on worn by the murderer. His curtains, carpet, furniture, bedding, and clothing he and his

wife were wearing were all a negative match. In fact, there was only one red garment in the

house, and it was synthetic, a much paler shade, and a different thickness. To me, it looks like

that fiber came from the murderer.

COOL COP: Where were the fibers and hairs located on the body? How could they have gotten

there?

FORENSIC JACKIE: A hair was found on Bill’s right shoulder, and a red fiber was found on his

chest. My working theory is that the fiber came from the murderer’s shirt or jacket, and it came

off along with the hair while hugging the victim.

COOL COP: You think she hugged him before killing him?

FORENSIC JACKIE: Appears that way. Not sure how else that placement of trace evidence

could have worked out. Could be some crime of passion.

COOL COP: Thanks for the help. We have other evidence pointing to SZA. We are going to file

a warrant for her arrest.

FORENSIC JACKIE: Happy to help. Let me know if you need anything else.

JIM: I’m going to head out as well. Catch ya later boss.

FORENSIC JACKIE and JIM exit. COOL COP gets to work on filing the warrant. They also

obtain a warrant to search her house, and the murder weapon is found under her bed next to a

bright red jacket. COOL COP arrests SZA and brings her to an interrogation room. After some

conversation, COOL COP lays out some of the evidence…

COOL COP: How exactly do you explain the envelope?

SZA: (nervously) I - I don’t know. I just got it in the mail. Maybe it’s the wrong address and

wasn't meant for them.

COOL COP: Oh no, it was meant for them. Wasn’t it? Because you made it up. We know you

knew him better than you let on. We know you were at his house. We know you were still in love

with him.

SZA: (crying and yelling) Fine! I love him! I knew he might really love her, and I knew it was a

lost cause. I did it all for love! I did all this on no drugs. I did all of this sober. Don’t you know I

did this all for us? (quieter and more solemn) I just killled my ex. Not the best idea. Killed his

girlfriend next (crying) how’d I get here? I just killed my ex, I still love him though. I’d rather be

in hell than alone.

COOL COP: (stern looking, then puts on sunglasses all cool-like) Well, well, well. You’re going

away for a long time. Hope you really believe that last part, because hell is just where you’re

going.
JIM watching from the other side of the one-way glass starts clapping for COOL COP. COOL

COP walks SZA out in handcuffs in slow motion as action music plays in the background. The

screen fades to black.