David Noble

**David Noble** was the head technician for gaming company *Ridgeway Tech*, owned by Tim Ridgeway. He was a gifted programmer who was given a chance to work for government intelligence. However, it was revealed that David was responsible for Tim's murder in the episode "Simulation For Murder" (S08E07).

In the episode, David received a letter from the Bureau of Government Intelligence regarding his application for working in the government intelligence. He was approved by the Bureau and he is only allowed to work in the agency if his current employer permitted his transfer. Since Tim Ridgeway was the employer and staff manager, David depended on Tim to approve of his skills to work for the government.

However, David received another letter from the Bureau, stating that he was not allowed to work in the agency due to Tim’s disproval. Enraged and confused, David snuck into Tim’s house to talk to him. Meanwhile, Tim’s wife Jennifer stormed out of the house and game programmer Sandy Lowry snuck in to Tim’s basement to cancel the production of his video game.

David discussed the situation with Tim in his hot tub (who was playing a video game). Tim admitted in denying permission as he wanted Tim to stay, even insulting him that his programming skills were not worthy of the government. Outraged, David pushed the TV into Tim’s tub, electrocuting him. The short circuit created a blackout, allowing David to escape without being seen. However, he accidentally bumped into Jennifer, who thought that it was Sandy.

Returning to his house, David tampered with the Bureau’s letter, doing so by sending a letter to the Bureau under Tim’s identity stating that David was permitted to work for government intelligence. When Edwin Goodman listed him down as a suspect, David informed Edwin that he had no motive in killing Tim since he approved of his decision to work for the government.

When Sandy was proved to be innocent, David decided to shift suspicion on someone else – video gamer Greg Tomlinson. David knew that Greg was the insider who downloaded the virus into the crime scene simulation programmed by Sandy, and that Greg worked for Tim’s rival Adrian Thorne. Therefore, David stole the virus from Greg to make it seem like he has already unleashed the computer virus.

But Edwin was still able to unveil David as the murderer, despite his misdirection of suspicions. Edwin discovered that David lied about Tim’s approval through contacting the Bureau, they stated that they received two e-mails – one is Tim’s real letter and the other is the letter David tampered. Another incriminating evidence that proved David as Tim’s killer through the clothing he wore during the murder. When Jennifer bumped into David during the blackout, she felt that ‘Sandy‘ was wearing cotton (she used to work for a clothing factory). Edwin was able to establish that Sandy was allergic to cotton, and therefore cannot wear it. Greg and Adrian had air-tight alibis – the former playing video games in the convention and the latter was in a business meeting.

Edwin confronted David by having the police announce to the suspects that the programming area will be out of bounds due to investigation for the virus. David realised that the virus will be discovered there, he went into the programming area, all according to Edwin’s plan. Edwin knew David took the virus from Greg due to the convention, David snuck into the convention to steal the virus, having his car seen by traffic cameras. There, Edwin revealed David as the killer, with the police presenting the evidence – a hair pin that had traces of motor oil found in the bushes of the back door – It couldn’t have belonged to Jennifer as she had keys of her own and Sandy entered and exited through the basement window, David owned a boat and the motor oil was used for boats. David confessed in killing Tim and stealing the virus, he was eventually arrested.

## Quotes

* *“I trusted him...I trusted him that he could have me working in government intelligence. But then, I received a letter from the Bureau, saying that I didn’t get the job because Tim denied my recommendation. I was confused and angry, I decided to confront him about it...The only opportunity I got was sneaking in to Tim’s estate, where he was in his hot tub playing video games...” –* **David’s motive revealed.**
* *“He explained to me that he needed me in his company. Then he told me that I wasn’t fit for working for the government. I couldn't believe what he said! He wanted me to spend my entire life creating his stupid video games. He didn’t care about my future! I was just so furious, the next thing I knew were sparks coming out of the TV when I pushed it in to Tim’s tub. When the lights were out, I used the opportunity to escape...”* – **David Noble’s confession in killing his employer, Tim Ridgeway.**

## Trivia

* David Noble is a nod to YouTube celebrity *David Nagle*, a video gamer who goes by the pseudonym *Daithi De Nogla*.