Two months later, in a janitor discovered the body of a transient man, "Sully" James, under a railway bridge. Cause of death: ligature strangulation. The murder weapon left behind on the body was a red cotton clothesline.
: The Britannica entry on the Garrote explains the device's origins in the Spanish Inquisition and its evolution into a handheld weapon. Red Garrote Strangler
A garrote can be made from simple materials, including piano wire, electrical cord, or makeshift items like a broken paintbrush. Two months later, in a janitor discovered the
: While often associated with manual strangulation, the name "strangler" became a cultural staple for killers who attacked women in urban settings during the 1960s. Michael Bruce Ross (The Roadside Strangler) : The Britannica entry on the Garrote explains
: Historically used in Spain and other regions, it often involved an iron collar tightened by a screw to cause asphyxiation.
Mara pointed at one of the canvases in the dump of Lena's studio photos. "He's been looking at this," she said. "Someone who understands what she was making, who could make it into a clue."