VA VA - Scott Ratigan, 24, found murdered in apartment, Arlington, 17 Jan 2020

[scapa]

And here is some additional information from ArlNow (including some more info in the comments): BREAKING: Police Release Surveillance Video of 'Person of Interest' in Ballston Murder.

Edit: Sorry - didn't realize this link had already been posted!

Thanks for the update. That is a very distinctive gait, even when running across the street.

 

[Razz]

Interesting ... in that first image, it looks like there's someone walking in front of the suspect. It looks like a blond-ish/light brown haired person.

ETA: very distinctive gait, if it's genuine. Surely someone

I was originally going to say it looked like his jockies or boxers were in a twist. However, if he had something long (a rod, a crowbar) down the front of his pants that would cause him to walk like that so he wouldn't lose it down his pantleg.

 

[TGIRecovered]

And here is some additional information from ArlNow (including some more info in the comments): BREAKING: Police Release Surveillance Video of 'Person of Interest' in Ballston Murder.

Edit: Sorry - didn't realize this link had already been posted!

Looks like a woman to me, especially from behind. I look very closely and tried to imagine that it was a man but I just can’t.

 

[Citizen1]

The attached image, released by ACPD, is a video still-frame which does not appear in the video footage released by ACPD. Specifically, the rounded street curb with a stake in a mulch bed. Did the suspect change shoes after leaving the AVA?

 

[Curiousgus]

Those do look like they are different shoes but it’s really hard to tell from these photos. Also, in the pictures posted by Jmapes is there something in the person’s face mask right by his nose? It’s looks yellow and black to me - am I seeing things?

 

[Jacksmad]

The black patch is missing. You’re right. They are different shoes!!

the backpack looks different to me too, it’s LL Bean on the way out, there is a logo on it on the way in but it’s not the same.

 

[Jacksmad]

Those do look like they are different shoes but it’s really hard to tell from these photos. Also, in the pictures posted by Jmapes is there something in the person’s face mask right by his nose? It’s looks yellow and black to me - am I seeing things?

I saw that too, so t looked digital to me? Like a blip or flaw in the recording.

 

[Jacksmad]

Looks like a woman to me, especially from behind. I look very closely and tried to imagine that it was a man but I just can’t.

 

[apres_all_day]

A few thoughts:

The height is only 5'6 - 5'8", with an exaggerated pigeon-toed (or bow-legged?) gait.

You can't even tell the gender, as it could be a guy or even a woman who is really into strength training. My initial gut reaction is that the physique is of a woman who does Crossfit. Women are more likely to be pigeon-toed, but the gait also seems fake. I only know one woman who was that badly pigeon-toed and we went to high school together. Most pigeon-toes are much more subtle.

One thing i noticed were the white soled shoes. A messy stabbing murder? you’d have blood all over the white soles. Yet their shoes are clean.

There’s a whole separate set of bloody clothes, shoes, and supplies in that backpack. I also noticed that the person has taped over the logo on their backpack.

I’m thinking this is a crime involving an Intel agency or something foreign in nature. Not sure if the victim worked for a 3 letter agency. Feels too professional - The gender is purposely ambiguous and confusing. The clothing was predetermined to provide anonymity. I think it’s a woman.

 

[TGIRecovered]

The attached image, released by ACPD, is a video still-frame which does not appear in the video footage released by ACPD. Specifically, the rounded street curb with a stake in a mulch bed. Did the suspect change shoes after leaving the AVA?

I think that part of the white sole of the shoe might have been torn off during the attack or as the person hurried to escape. Same shoes, just damaged. MOO

 

[TGIRecovered]

apres_all_day, You make a good point about the lack of blood on the sole of the shoes. I have heard of killers removing all of their clothing before a bloody attack. If the killer showered after the attack that would explain the bleach smell. Maybe it was used to clean the shower rather than trying to get rid of the blood in the specific area of the attack.

 

[apres_all_day]

I’m wondering if Arlington PD put this out after seeing the internet identify lots of people in the Capitol Hill riots? This seems desperate.

 

[Jacksmad]

Just my theory...

Scott or his sister (he lived with his sister) had an item of value that someone saw while over the week before... or they had a cleaning service and one of them gets to talking about something they saw there to their boyfriend. Someone goes to rob them, dressed for it.

I feel like the person in the video is not born In the US if that gait is authentic. It would have been corrected. South American maybe?

Anyway, the guy decides to break in and take some thing of value from them. Scott’s home. There are lots of people around here who Friday’s off, asleep. Guy busts in with a crowbar, had to kill Scott, panics, bleaches the place, switches his shoes with Scott’s and had to run all pigeon toed to keep the too big shoes on his feet.

 

[MoeInVA]

I’m wondering if Arlington PD put this out after seeing the internet identify lots of people in the Capitol Hill riots? This seems desperate.

My exact thoughts. A bunch of the recent Capitol most wanted photos put out by the FBI are labeled AFO #79 etc. Which I was guessing was Arlington Field Office. I think that’s partly why the sudden release. Terrible it took so long to post these!

New to the case and catching up. I previously lived in various parts of NoVa including by Virginia Square metro briefly. Had friends at Ballston and familiar with the area. Very shocking to be murdered in a nice high rise in the area.

1. Do we know time of surveillance footage?
2. Do we know when and where the victim was last seen or heard from before the murder? (Could he have brought someone home with him the night before for example?)
3. Are all the 2 bed apartments also 2 baths?

Most likely scenario to me at very first glance is he let someone in. Known person (friend, acquaintance, Drug dealer, hook up, vendor etc). Or maybe they weren’t familiar and he just wasnt intimidated by the persons small stature??

 

[Kaylas]

I reached out to a local Arlington news source for info. Their response was that they have repeatedly asked police for additional information in the case but they have refused to release anything. Until a suspect is announced or arrested, there is unfortunately nothing new to report.

Why has it taken the Arlington Police an entire year to release the surveillance footage?

 

[kimmie0313]

Exactly! Why has it taken this long to get this video out? I live in the area and heard about this death after it happened, but it has been silent until now, unfortunately.

 

[Kaylas]

Thanks for the update. That is a very distinctive gait, even when running across the street.

The link to this information in this post I’m replying to, has information that I didn’t pick up on while looking at the APD site. Still photos of suspect entering the building....has on blue Addidas ( prior to homicide); suspect walking away from Scott’s building towards DARPA building was wearing black Nikes that appear to be too big for feet.

The shoe details were described in the comments posted after the article in (ArlNow)

 

[Vaccine]

Interesting observations about changes in clothing. I'm personally leaning towards the person in the pictures being male. From the front view photo if you look at the biceps they are pretty pumped for a woman. The upper frame looks stocky and with no sign of a bust. I realise the person could have bulked up their clothing but the arm looks quite male to me especially.

 

[MoeInVA]

I am reminded of another case that’s gone cold that I follow, where family and friends have gone pretty silent. We don’t know why, but suspicions are around protecting the person’s reputation ( hook up or drugs) but we are totally speculating and don’t know at all. Clearly we here at websleuths want to find the killer and could care less about how they were known to the victim. But welcome other ideas on this case or others like it!!

 

[Kaylas]

I am reminded of another case that’s gone cold that I follow, where family and friends have gone pretty silent. We don’t know why, but suspicions are around protecting the person’s reputation ( hook up or drugs) but we are totally speculating and don’t know at all. Clearly we here at websleuths want to find the killer and could care less about how they were known to the victim. But welcome other ideas on this case or others like it!!

Hopefully APD has some good evidence on the suspect(s) and are waiting to get an identity on the person in the video.