At the End of the Rope

At the End of the Rope is a case featured in Criminal Case, appearing as the thirty-fifth case of the game as well as the city of Grimsborough. It takes place at the University, a district based in Grimsborough.

Plot
The victim was a Grimsborough University student named Lisa Edwards, who was found hanging from a noose in the university's library. The killer was Lisa's best friend, Penelope Rivera.

Penelope wanted to get closer to her best friend, Lisa, and decided to scare the victim so that she could comfort her. She started to send bullying messages to Lisa on Friendnet anonymously, but unfortunately for Penelope, it did not work out since Lisa never talked to her about the messages and began spending all her time by herself or with Tess Goodwin. Then one day, Lisa asked Penelope to meet her in the University's library. Penelope went there happily, thinking that her best friend would finally get even closer to her. But when Penelope went there, she encountered a furious Lisa, who then told her that she knew she was the one harassing her on Friendnet (the @rtist had informed her about this), and that she hated her now. Lisa said many more things to Penelope and also kept shouting at her, until Penelope finally had enough. She got enraged and pushed Lisa with full strength, causing the victim to fall down hard and become unconscious. Penelope then took a rope from under the desk and hanged Lisa.

The murder was thought to be a suicide at first, but had been confirmed as a murder per Nathan's autopsy and Luke Harris, who wanted to tell the truth behind Lisa's death, which contributed to Penelope deceiving the team.

For the murder of Lisa and the willful attempt at deceiving the police force, Penelope was sentenced to 10 years in jail with a chance for parole in 6 years.

Victim

 * Lisa Edwards (found hanging from a noose in Grimsborough University's Library)

Murder Weapon

 * Rope

Killer

 * Penelope Rivera

Killer's Profile

 * The killer drinks coffee.
 * The killer uses Friendnet.
 * The killer watched The Hangman Murders.
 * The killer wears glasses.
 * The killer wears lipstick.

Chapter 1

 * Investigate Library. (Clues: Victim's Body, Tablet)
 * Autopsy Victim’s Body. (18:00:00; Murder Weapon registered: Rope)
 * Talk to Penelope Rivera.
 * Examine Tablet. (Result: Code Deciphered)
 * Analyze Tablet. (00:05:00)
 * Talk to The @rtist. (Unlocks: Hacker's Room)
 * Investigate Hacker’s Room. (Clue: Broken Hard Drive)
 * Examine Broken Hard Drive. (Result: Hard Drive)
 * Analyze Hard Drive. (00:05:00)
 * Talk to Luke Harris. (Progress-Sensitive)
 * Go to Chapter 2. (2 stars)

Chapter 2

 * Investigate Study Desk. (Clue: Faded Letter)
 * Examine Faded Letter. (Result: Suicide Note)
 * Analyze Suicide Note. (12:00:00; Attributes: The killer drinks coffee, The killer uses Friendnet & The killer watched The Hangman Murders)
 * Talk to Tess Goodwin. (Prerequisite: Suicide Note analyzed; Unlocks: Subway Platform)
 * Investigate Subway Platform. (Clue: Torn Paper, Portfolio)
 * Examine Torn Paper. (Result: Copy)
 * Examine Copy. (Result: Brown Substance)
 * Analyze Brown Substance. (06:00:00)
 * Talk to Luke Harris. (Prerequisite: Brown Substance Analyzed)
 * Examine Portfolio. (Result: Pamphlet)
 * Examine Pamphlet. (Result: Unknown Phone Number)
 * Analyze Unknown Phone Number. (06:00:00)
 * Talk to Caroline Fitzgerald. (Prerequisite: Unknown Phone Number analyzed)
 * Go to Chapter 3. (2 stars)

Chapter 3

 * Investigate Computer Station. (Clue: Laptop)
 * Examine Laptop. (Result: Mails)
 * Analyze Mails. (03:00:00)
 * Talk to Caroline Fitzgerald.
 * Talk to Penelope Rivera.
 * Investigate Subway Seats. (Suspect Interaction Required to unlock; Clue: Book)
 * Examine Book. (Result: Tess' Book and Book Page)
 * Examine Book Page (Result: Red Substance)
 * Analyze Red Substance. (12:00:00)
 * Talk to Tess Goodwin. (Prerequisite: Red Substance Analyzed; Attribute: The killer wears lipstick)
 * Talk to The @rtist. (Progress-Sensitive)
 * Investigate Library. (Prerequisite: Talk to The @rtist; Clue: Broken Cam)
 * Examine Broken Cam. (Result: Webcam)
 * Analyze Webcam. (12:00:00; Attribute: The killer wears glasses)
 * Take care of the killer now!
 * Go to Additional Investigation. (No stars)

Additional Investigation

 * Check up on Luke Harris. (Clue: Unknown DVD)
 * Examine Unknown DVD. (Result: Surrealistic DVD)
 * Investigate Library. (Clue: Luke's DVD)
 * Give the DVD back to Luke. (Reward: Burger)
 * Check up on Caroline Fitzgerald.
 * Investigate Subway Platform. (Clue: Crumpled Paper)
 * Examine Crumpled Paper. (Result: Love Note)
 * Give the note to Caroline Fitzgerald. (Reward: 18,000 Coins)
 * Challenge the @rtist.
 * Investigate Hacker’s Room. (Clue: Pencil Case)
 * Examine Pencil Case. (Result: Memory Card)
 * Analyze Memory Card. (06:00:00)
 * Ask more about the @rtist’s identity. (Rewards: Friendnet Hoodie, Hacker Mask)
 * Move on to the next case! (1 star)

Trivia

 * This case is the only case to feature four attributes on a suspect's profile.
 * Every suspect in this case appeared in The Rorschach Reaper (Case #41 of Grimsborough).
 * The movie A Trip to the Moon Luke mentions in his leg of this case's Additional Investigation is a real movie from 1902.
 * In the crime scene "Study Desk", the computer on the desk displays Criminal Case on its screen.