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Where We Left Off:
Gus was found outside unsupervised and unleashed! What the heck happened? What was he doing? Read the previous case.
***This post contains investigations about dead mice. Photos under accordions are not pixelated.***
A Nest of Mischief:
Usually Spring is a celebration of rebirth and renewal. Tiny fuzzy babies figure out what this world is and how to move around in it. I would have to describe our New Jersey micro-hamlet as something else this month. We weren’t seeing babies. Gus, Ollie, The Grumpy Old Man, and I were finding dead critters.
We’ll cover the easiest homicide investigations first. We know almost all the answers. Therefore, these cases are first presented in order known causes of death rather than in a sequential timeline.
Pre-Emptive Palette Cleanser FLOWERS!
Victims of Traps:
Subject 0403
This subject was clearly the victim of homicide (meaning, death cause by someone else, not naturally nor self-inflicted). The body was discovered crushed in a quickly-discharged snapping trap which was not baited. This trap was located inside the hangar on top of an antique.
Name: unknown
Species: Eastern Deer Mouse
Sex: unknown
Lifestage: adult
Size: not measured
Cause and Manner of Death: crush impact / homicide
Case Status: Closed
Subject 0414
This subject was caught in a baited trap, also a clear indication of homicide. The traps in the building had been cleaned and reset the day before. This victim was found in the same building as Subject 0403.
Name: unknown
Species: Eastern Deer Mouse
Sex: unknown
Lifestage: adult
Size: 6.5 inches
Cause and Manner of Death: crush impact / homicide
Case Status: Closed
Subjects Found Deceased:
Subject 0329
This subject was discovered in the front yard in the grass. There was a lot of insect activity, therefore the subject was not more closely examined. The body was wet from natural dew on the grass. There hadn’t been rain, but it was humid after midnight on March 28, 2026. Due to the lack of examination, no Cause of Death could be determined.
Name: unknown
Species: Eastern Deer Mouse
Sex: unknown
Lifestage: young adult possibly
Size: small in appearance
Cause and Manner of Death: unknown
Case Status: Open
Subject 0401
This subject was discovered inside the hangar, but not killed by a trap. Observational inspection concluded there were signs were puncture wounds consistent with bite marks from a predator. Gus was not responsible for the attack, he wanted you to know. Who could have attacked this mouse inside?
Oliver performed his version of a hands-off necropsy as he has previously done when Guster is not around. Visual and olfactory observations were noted.
“I can tell you what happened here,” Ollie said. “This mouse was definitely the victim of a predator attack. The mouse survived long enough to crawl to the building seeking safety. I smell the distinct scent of another feline.”
Gus wasn’t around for this examination which unusual. At that moment, he was spending time with The Cook. Normally, the Super Smeller would make all confirmations regarding scents.
I asked Ollie if he had any other information. “I think this is the free-roamer we have the most experience with, the tuxedo cat you call Savile. You’ve said he’s good looking.”
“He’s a handsome cat.” I didn’t have to justify this. You can look at a cat with a shiny coat and color blocking pattern that’s so exquisite, it had to have been planned out by a divine power, perhaps Freya.
“Whatever,” Ollie said. “This mouse was Luigi Pero, a known gangster. He didn’t associate with the nicest of critters. That’s all the identification I could do without Gus.”
“Savile might have been trying to help us out.” I reflected on his motivations. From our surveillance cameras, we know Savile loves to chase prey.
Name: Luigi Pero
Species: Eastern Deer Mouse
Sex: male
Lifestage: adult
Size: medium
Cause and Manner of Death: puncture wounds / homicide
Prime suspect: Savile the tuxedo
Case Status: Closed
Subject 0419
This subject was unique from all the others. It was discovered underneath a tall steel rack that holds scrap wood. This is one case where the mouse may have died from natural causes. There were no observable injuries. That doesn’t rule out internal injuries. There weren’t any indications of this body having had suffered crushing impact. That might be the biggest clue to eliminate internal injuries from our theories. Poisons are not intentionally used although there are certainly dangerous cleaning products around.
The mouse presented with peculiar characteristics. It was dehydrated and stiff. There were signs the mouse had evacuated its waste on itself when it died. There were a few other pieces of dirt likely from the floor. The desiccated remains could have been mistaken for taxidermy or mummification had the body been cleaned and posed.
Rather than lay the subject out in the wild, it was taken back to the Winchester-Nabu Detective Agency offices for more analysis. Gus and I examined the body while Oliver went out on the observation to talk to his bird network of gossips and informants. Our plans paid off! The Communications Attachée, Lottie Briscoe, is a dedicated cardinal who manages a lot of the information circulating in the neighborhood.
According to Lottie, the reason we discovered this mouse under the steel rack was that it served as a viewing space. It was out of the daylight and a space that was reasonably secured from predators. Other than her fellow mice, chipmunks and shrews also entered the building to pay their respects. Lottie said it really wasn’t about paying respects, but she felt more comfortable saying that.
The mouse’s name was Hazel. She was known in more of an infamous way around the junkyard. She tended to imbibe on fermented grain and fruits whenever she had the chance. She and her mate often fought viciously. He was presumed dead at the time of her passing per the other critters, therefore, he was never considered a suspect in her death.
After examination, we determined her death was natural causes. No homicide here. That doesn’t mean Hazel couldn’t have been a killer in her own right though. She might have gotten the best of her mate and we haven’t found his body yet.
Name: Hazel
Species: Eastern Deer Mouse
Sex: female
Lifestage: adult
Size: medium
Manner of Death: natural causes
Case Status: Closed
Case Findings:
The Winchester-Nabu detectives had a challenge in determining the causes of death and making identifications in FIVE mice found deceased on the estate property. Two had clear indications of why they died: they were found in traps. Two of the mice were identified and both of those cases were closed also. Only one case remains open.
Case Statuses: 4 Closed / 1 Open
One thing all these mice had in common is that they appeared to be the same species, Eastern deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus. However, we’re not identification experts when it comes to species. Our strength as a detective agency is finding out about the creatures’ lives such as where they lived, known associates/enemies, and often their names. There is some possibility that any of the above subjects are White-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus, but we believe that the P. Maniculatus classification is more likely. Even scientists need to run tests to tell these species apart sometimes. Also, for the sake of a good story, the sex identifications aren’t accurate.
As for the mystery of the mouse mummy, Hazel, she would not be the only mummified remains we find this year. Stay tuned!