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

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“The family and close friends aren’t suspects by APD.”

Good to know! Just to clarify I wasn’t suggesting that. More raising that in a somewhat similar cold case, we have wondered if there was some info in the investigation that the family was holding back to protect the victim’s reputation. Just because the case was so confounding like this one.
 
LE statedd that they are looking for a man in the links. So did the killer leave DNA at the scene? Perhaps a blood sample if Scott fought back if he had defensive hand wounds?? Maybe killer had a cut somewhere??? So they know it is a man????? Also the gait looks real. It has a definite cadence to it IMO. One leg is the dominant leg it appears in the walk. Perhaps an old injury, like a broken hip years ago. Even the original sneakers appear to have pronounced wear and tear on the left heel. Also does the second backpack belong to Scott???
 
All speculation.

Because of the size of the person seen in the videos, and because of the nature of SR's injuries, I am guessing that a weapon was involved (I do not think this was just fisticuffs)

I don't know much about the sequence and locations of the respective videos, but it seems logical to me that the videos of the person seen walking with the odd stride - where it almost appears that they are trying to hide (or maintain the position of) some small club, baton or tire thumper in their left pant leg - are possibly from before (on the way to) the crime, whereas the videos of the hunched-over person seen quick-walking/mini-jogging in a more loose-legged and pigeon-toed manner are possibly from after (on the way away from) the crime.

If this is true, and if the person was in fact concealing a weapon in their left pant leg on the way to the crime - but not on the way away from the crime - it's possible that the murder weapon was disposed of in the building or in a trash receptacle on the way down and out.

It might be futile at this point, but if there was a trash chute in the building with a dumpster/compactor at the bottom, that's where I'd bet the weapon ended up. I'm sure this was considered by LE early on and all such areas thoroughly searched, so maybe nothing was found (or nothing anyway that could be used to identify an attacker),

This of course is all just speculation. I have no answer to the obvious question: "why wouldn't such a weapon simply have been carried in the backpack?". I just think that the stride of the person seen walking - which is different than the stride of the person seen quick-walking/mini-jogging - is telling. Is there something in their left pant leg? Have they soiled themselves? Idk, to me it just seems very odd.

It is definitely frustrating that the videos are just now being released, a full year after the crime - at a time when someone who perhaps earlier would have been able to remember somebody they knew who'd recently purchased (or owned) apparel similar to that seen/worn by the person in the video: black (or dark blue?) Adidas (or Nike?) running shoes with white soles (which appeared to be oversized/too large), black under armor gloves with white logo on back of hand, a black backpack with lettering similar to that seen on the video, a (black/gray?) camo face mask, black skinny pants/jeans (at least with a tight fit at the ankle), and a black, hooded, modern-fit (tight sleeves anyway) (button up?) jacket, now may no longer remember.

All jmo
 
The fact that they had a backpack walking in makes me think that this person was a frequent longer walker in the city there. Too bad video wasn't released sooner. Also, I am not familiar to area, can you tell me the general main direction of the person after this crime if they did a mazelike walk to avoid detection.
 
Why would a person bring bleach to SR's apt.? For clean up? Did the perp know he would need it to clean up?Nah....I think the person got it at Scott's.

I get what you're saying about this masked dude. Was he a drug runner of some kind? Maybe got the wrong apt. and SR was the wrong guy. Got ticked when there was no money to pay?
Actually, that makes some sense.
 
Rush4087 said:
All speculation.
It might be futile at this point, but if there was a trash chute in the building with a dumpster/compactor at the bottom, that's where I'd bet the weapon ended up. I'm sure this was considered by LE early on and all such areas thoroughly searched, so maybe nothing was found (or nothing anyway that could be used to identify an attacker)
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There is a trash chute in both towers of the building. IMO this person came prepared for a crime and went through quite a bit to conceal their identity down to potentially changing shoes and putting what looks like duct tape on the backpack to cover a logo. I don't think they'd be as lazy to drop a weapon down the chute.

Wild Rose said:
The fact that they had a backpack walking in makes me think that this person was a frequent longer walker in the city there. Too bad video wasn't released sooner. Also, I am not familiar to area, can you tell me the general main direction of the person after this crime if they did a mazelike walk to avoid detection.
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Having a backpack in Arlington is not abnormal, it’s probably more weird if you don’t own one. Having one with duct tape over the logo definitely is strange, if anything, everyone in Arlington is trying to show off who has the most expensive backpack. It’s impossible to tell based off the videos since there’s no time stamp, but my best guess is the final video showing the person crossing the street southeast of the crime scene is the best we have of where the ended up. That direction is away from the main roads and the metro station and towards residential areas with less eyes.
 
Thanks for the info _Patches about backpacks so maybe that person purposely did not go straight west or straight east. If they go in a maze-like walk, then maybe they lived straight east or west because you would think that they would want to go home in a timely fashion to wash/change clothes, dispose of victim's clothing or property. So if you went maze-like, they need to make up for extra time if anybody knows what I mean. Unless they had a car parked in that direction?? Very sad for family and friends if there is no closure.
 
Wild Rose said:
_ Patches, besides the large Arlington police station way to the east, are there any small police substations in the vicinity of the the victim's apartment that someone would avoid?
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Definitely not near the Ballston area (if there are any at all), although the metro stop there usually has at least one or two police cars around. The large one you are taking about isn't that far away, it's only like a 20-25 min walk or a 5 min drive from there to Ballston.
 
_Patches said:
Definitely not near the Ballston area (if there are any at all), although the metro stop there usually has at least one or two police cars around. The large one you are taking about isn't that far away, it's only like a 20-25 min walk or a 5 min drive from there to Ballston.
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I am not recently local (but lived by metro stations for many years) and I was never particularly observant to my surroundings, but for those outside the area, it cannot be understated how many cameras there would be here. I mean SO MANY. SO SO MANY. I would not be particularly worried about police or police station because they are kind of invisible and all of these kinds of areas in Arlington are “safe” places to walk and under constant surveillance. Constant. There’s no mistaking it. It’s a crisp corporate atmosphere. JMO.
 
Hi everyone,

I'm a friend of the victim and have been following this thread ever since it was created. The silence on behalf of Scott's friends was out of respect for Scott and his family- ACPD was extremely tight lipped about the case, therefore everyone else was tight lipped. Now that ACPD has released video footage, it felt like the right time to create an account and answer some questions (not all as I don't want to share any vital information to the case).
1. the 4 people in the news reports as being in the apartment- are not suspects at all in any shape or form. He lived with his sister- safe to assume the other three were friends of hers.
2. Scott was not a druggy and he did not deal drugs either. Scott was honestly one of the best human beings- the sweetest soul, didn't have a mean bone in his body, and was loved by everyone that ever met him. Which is what makes his murder so devastating, confusing and frustrating.
3. Scott had a on and off GF of nine (almost ten) years- at the time of his death, they were on.

My thoughts/opinions on video footage:
1. No change of clothes/shoes/backpack, etc. The POI is wearing under under armor gloves, the backpack logo has duck tape over it (I'm 100 percent on that)- the backpack appears to be a hiking backpack with all the straps, therefore I don't doubt that the POI covered their shoe logo's either- but the shoes look very familiar to Nike Free Runs with the back curve. Also, I believe the POI is wearing waterproof jacket and pants (waterproof running gear?) as they seem reflective/shiny in the video. Would also make sense on why there was no need to change clothes if they were waterproof and black- blood wouldn't show up on a video if that was the case.
2. I believe the gait is authentic. You can't fake bone structure and being bow-legged like that. Also, how does one commit a murder like that and then remember the whole time while being on surveillance cameras to walk AND run pigeon-toed.
3. The POI has a white water bottle on the side pocket of their backpack- did this contain water or perhaps bleach?
4. Some people believe it is a woman- I believe they are 100 percent looking for a male for a reason. ACPD must have been able to narrow down the gender if they released that the POI is a white male.
5. the mask/covering the face- this was pre-COVID and not the norm. The face mask appears to be camo.
 
MoeInVA said:
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??
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Victim was last seen in his room in the apartment complex by himself. Based off friends- last time he was heard from was around 1pm.
 
I don't know the order of the clips or which came before the murder and which after. But one thing is interesting is that the POI is very set on keeping his hands tucked in on 3/4 of the clips. I think he's holding something in all but the one clip. That or he realized there was something on his hands that he couldnt have showing (blood, a tear on the glove etc). Most noticeable on the two clips where he's running. On one he has his tucked in, a very unnatural running form. The other he is in his normal run form.
 
BoyThatsWeird said:
I don't know the order of the clips or which came before the murder and which after. But one thing is interesting is that the POI is very set on keeping his hands tucked in on 3/4 of the clips. I think he's holding something in all but the one clip. That or he realized there was something on his hands that he couldnt have showing (blood, a tear on the glove etc). Most noticeable on the two clips where he's running. On one he has his tucked in, a very unnatural running form. The other he is in his normal run form.
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From the footage it appears clips 1 and 4 are him running away from the apartment complex, so I'm guessing those are after the murder took place, and clips 2 and 3 are him walking towards the building, so i'm guessing that was before the murder took place.
 
GooseyPie said:
Do we know if the victim was clothed, unusual to be killed in his bedroom I think. Why would the murderer use bleach, how was he leaving dna? he had gloves on! How did he know that he wouldn’t be interrupted whilst committing this crime?
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I'm wondering the same thing. I wonder if the POI was stalking/casing the place out prior? But LE would have more footage of an individual re-appearing around the building with that distinctive walk and would have had more footage where they could have possibly ID'd the individual? So then I go back to the POI being a friend or acquaintance who knew where he lived and knew he would be home? Either way, it seems extremely premeditated...
 
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