Detective Sarah entered the dimly lit room, immediately noticing the lifeless body on the floor. Her keen eyes scanned for clues amid the chaos. Twisted evidence hinted at a struggle, shadows dancing on the walls. The clock struck midnight, intensifying the eerie silence. Candle wax dripped from a nearby sconce, smearing fingerprints on hardwood. Blood stains adorned the carpet, telling a grim tale of violence. Murder weapon, a knife with unusual etchings, lay on the mantelpiece. An open window's chilling gust whispered secrets of a frantic escape. A torn piece of paper fluttered to the floor, barely legible. Detective Sarah knelt, her intuition growing as the scene unfolded. The victim's identity remained obscured, but death's date was clear. As night deepened, the enigma of murder awaited unraveling.