Don't Open the Present!

"*The Miss Teen Liberty winner is beaten up to death near the Christmas presents! Can you catch the blood-thirsty sexy Santa killer before you claimed next for opening the present?!*"
– Case Teaser

**Don't Open the Present** is a case featured in Criminal Case: Panic Patrol, appearing as the 21th case of the game. It is the third case set in Seashore Rouge.

## Plot

The Liberty Agency went to Lake Farnese after the city asked for assistance from Hilda and Hisao after having trouble due to delay receiving presents. Hilda asked Abraham and the player to retrieve a hair-shaved dead body found in the house's living room near the Christmas tree. The body was actually the Miss Teen Liberty winner Clara Muraro. The player deduced from a bruise mark on her head that she was murdered by blunt force trauma.

The five people were labelled as suspects: Edmund Gearhart (film writer), Caroline Muraro (cult actress and victim's mother), Fred Walker (bar owner), Vera MacBeth (Miss Teen Liberty runner-up), and Larry Eagleston (NGO worker).

While searching for evidences, Abraham see the film poster of Elvira Rochon's horror film "Screaming Silence", but Krampus attacks him with iron pipe. The player managed to tackled him into the shrubs.

Mid-investigation, Hilda was beaten up by one of Krampus's female henchmen after attempted protect Hisao and had to be sent to emergency room. With the stakes even higher, a murder investigation ensued and soon enough, they incriminated scream queen Caroline Muraro, Clara's mother and one of Krampus's henchmen, for the murder.

Caroline initially denied involvement but after seeing the horrifying video via security camera, she eventually admitted that she killed her daughter and shaved her hair as punishment for downloading FlapChat. Caroline was indeed Ms. Lustina Claus and she had worked with her boss for abducting children exchange for filming the next horror movie. Caroline was disappointed when she saw Clara writes down the Christmas wish list for Santa Claus. Film writer Edmund Gearhart decided to gives Clara an mobile as a Christmas present and cancelling the upcoming horror movie which enraged Caroline. When she learned by Krampus that Clara downloading FlapChat and recording the video of her disguised as Ms. Lustina Claus, Caroline lost her fame as the scream queen and swear that she will kill Clara for ruin her career and protecting her boss from being uncovered. Caroline's anger and hatred feeds her up and starts beat her daughter with iron pipe mercilessly, then she shaved her hair and keeping beating up to death. Then she running around screaming in horror upon realizing that she had killed her own daughter. Caroline justified the murder in court by insisting that she should have worked with Krampus. Judge Pereira sentenced Caroline 25-years in jail without parole for child murder and attempted murder of Hilda.

During Ghost of Christmas Past (3/6), Chief MacLeod ordered Fatiha and the player to check up on Miss Teen runner up Vera MacBeth and to do one last check in the mill of Ivory's Pass before work resumed. Fatiha and the player discovered that Vera and Edmund were fending for themselves from the Krampus. Besides that, Adam Fowler consulted Larry Eagleston for clues to abducting children by Krampus's henchmen, Ms. Lustina Claus.

Meanwhile, Abraham went with the player to the Muraro's house as Fatiha wanted to sit by Hilda's side. They found Fred Walker's laptop. Nadia analyzed it and found out that Fred had been donating money to Fowler's ancestry for Christmas. Fred said that he willingly donate as the Santa Claus helped him get the Christmas Carols. They then interrogated Fred who insisted that he was only accepting voluntary donations.

Nadia said that Melvin had confiscated all samples of the Fowler's blood-related ancestor so D.M. Group would not get their hands on the money for releasing children. She also said that she could not track down Krampus's track due to snowstorm. Hilda said that she had taken a Christmas wish list by Clara. Fatiha, not wanting the nice Santa Claus in Hilda's life, suggested a trip to Mount Whitney instead to relax. Chief MacLeod agree with Abraham about needing a vacation so the team went to Mount Whitney.

## Suspects

**Edmund Gearhart**
Film Writer
 **Blood** | A-

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect has contact with tabby cats.
* The suspect drinks mulled wine.
* The suspect had watched Screaming Silence.
* The suspect wears golden star brooch.

**Caroline Muraro**
Victim's Mother
 **Blood** | A

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect has contact with tabby cats.
* The suspect drinks mulled wine.
* The suspect had watched Screaming Silence.
* The suspect wears golden star brooch.
* The suspect is forties of age.

**Fred Walker**
Bar Owner
 **Blood** | O+

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect has contact with tabby cats.
* The suspect drinks mulled wine.
* The suspect had watched Screaming Silence.
* The suspect is forties of age.

**Vera MacBeth**
Miss Teen Runner-Up
 **Blood** | AB-

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect has contact with tabby cats.
* The suspect had watched Screaming Silence.
* The suspect wears golden star brooch.

**Larry Eagleston**
NGO Worker
 **Blood** | B+

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect has contact with tabby cats.
* The suspect drinks mulled wine.
* The suspect wears golden star brooch.
* The suspect is forties of age.

## Killer's Profile

* The killer has contact with tabby cats.
* The killer drinks mulled wine.
* The killer had watched Screaming Silence.
* The killer wears golden star brooch.
* The killer is forties of age.