Burning Bright

"*American stripper was burned to the crisp during an alcoholic drinks delivery. Can you find the heartless killer before they strike another attack?*"
– Case Teaser

**Burning Bright** is a case featured in Criminal Case Next Chapter: Agenda of Angst, appearing as the 21th case of the game. It is the third case set in La Vena.

## Plot

Roger Allen told Mandy and the player that a Mexican gang's moonshine delivery truck was found near the La Primavera strip club. Next to the truck, they found the burned body of stripper Tierra Berkeley.

The five people were labelled as suspects: Shawn McConnell (delivery man), Adrian Berkeley (distiller), Borrasca Solano (stripper), Jennifer Thorndyke (gang leader), and Lucio Madrazo (receptionist).

While searching for evidences, Mandy and the player are looking for something at the distillery and found the article about an urban legend and a ribbon. When it turned out that ribbons are belonged to Emma and Elena, Jason's daughters, La Llorona suddenly attacks them, which the player uses distilled water to set ablaze that scares her away.

Mid-investigation, Bryon found Tierra's distillery. Shortly after, the team flagged Jennifer "Zorro Gemido" Thorndyke as a suspect. Furthermore, Jenni started dismantling the distillery, compromising evidence. The team found enough evidence to arrest receptionist Lucio Madrazo for the murder.

After denying involvement, Lucio admitted to the crime. Upon his arrival in La Primavera strip club, Lucio lent money to his boyfriend Adrian, who promised to pay him back when he could. When Lucio want to kiss him, Adrian refused, saying he's already married to the stripper Tierra Berkeley and she's now 6 months pregnant. Feeling cheated and in order to protect his lover, he doused Tierra with gasoline and set her ablaze with sulfur. Judge Westley sentenced him to 25 years in jail for murder of Tierra and her unborn child.

During Children of the River (3/6), Mandy and the player asked Borrasca Solano for help in closing the distillery. Borrasca said that the Mexican gang used to hide documents in a clock, which they found at the distillery. Inside, there was a ledger detailing the distillery's monthly moonshine sales, enough evidence to shut the place down. The team then informed Jenni, who said she had other assets to care about.

Meanwhile, Jason and the player investigated his missing daughters about previous murders the police did not solve. They found a newspaper article, which mentioned the several parents were killed and the children had kidnapped by none other than "La Llorona". Per Bryon, the article was written by Hailee McAfee, who confirmed another orphan's death named Philip just like Penelope. Moreover, she said that Elektra Cartridge contacted her every time a child runs away from adoptive parent's abuse and ends up murdered or kidnapped. After Hailee and the player found another message, they met up with Elektra, who told them that she believed the La Llorona belonged to the Angel of Death cult society.

Later, the team reconvened and decided to dig deeper into the urban legend about La Llorona in order to prevent more bloodshed and save several children.

## Suspects

**Shawn McConnell**
Delivery Man
 **Blood** | B-

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect smokes.
* The suspect goes to bullfighting.
* The suspect reads The Western Way.
* The suspect has a paint stain.

**Adrian Berkeley**
Distiller
 **Blood** | O+

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect goes to bullfighting.
* The suspect has a paint stain.

**Borrasca Solano**
Stripper
 **Blood** | B-

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect smokes.
* The suspect reads The Western Way.

**Jennifer Thorndyke**
American Gang Leader
 **Blood** | A

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect smokes.
* The suspect goes to bullfighting.
* The suspect reads The Western Way.
* The suspect is 40s of age.

**Lucio Madrazo**
Receptionist
 **Blood** | O+

**Suspect's Profile**

* The suspect smokes.
* The suspect goes to bullfighting.
* The suspect reads The Western Way.
* The suspect is 40s of age.
* The suspect has a paint stain.

## Quasi-suspect(s)

**Hailee McAfee**
Reporter
 **Blood** | B+

**Elektra Cartridge**
Cowgirl
 **Blood** | A-

## Killer's Profile

* The killer smokes.
* The killer goes to bullfighting.
* The killer reads *The Western Way*.
* The killer is 40s of age.
* The killer has a paint stain.

## Trivia

* The title of this case may be a reference to the 2010 horror-thriller film of the same name.