- "I hear you're a good case man, but if you fuck up on my detail I'll have you out of here before your feet touch the ground."
- ―Lachlan McKelty
Captain Lachlan McKelty is a minor character in L.A. Noire. He is the Captain of the LAPD's Arson Department.
Biography[]
Events of L.A. Noire[]
McKelty wears a blue suit with a scarlet striped tie. He is first seen during Cole Phelps' first day on the Arson desk, after he was demoted from Vice. McKelty introduced Phelps to the other detectives, including William Tilden, who then verbally harassed Phelps regarding the scandal that landed him there. McKelty, however, told the detectives that he didn't care about Cole's former actions and wished only to use his skills as "a good case man," and partnered Phelps with Herschel Biggs to look into an arson case regarding two house fires. The case ended with the arrest of Matthew Ryan, a fifth columnist employee of InstaHeat, a result that pleased McKelty.
McKelty later assigned Phelps and Biggs to investigate the Morelli house fire. When Phelps became suspicious of Leland Monroe, McKelty aggressively warned against investigating him, citing the man's high-level connections in the city's administration. Phelps continued his line of inquiry nevertheless, and McKelty hence tried to stop Biggs from helping him by threatening to compromise his pension. Once Phelps had killed Herbert Chapman, a suspected arsonist and general annoyance to the arson department, McKelty expressed great relief.
McKelty appeared again at the conclusion of Nicholson Electroplating, praising Phelps and Biggs for solving the case of the Nicholson Electroplating Plant explosion, while also killing Vernon Mapes, a corrupt former LAPD detective. He then states that Cole might have just made the case of the decade.
Personality[]
McKelty is shown to have something of a short fuse. His attitude likely stems from the fact that Arson is largely considered a lowly squad that generates few commendable results, and thus he is highly intolerant of error or failure from his subordinates. He does express measured satisfaction towards Phelps for arresting Matthew Ryan and killing Herbert Chapman and Vernon Mapes, but withholds any high praise due to Phelps' scandal. Although his background is never delved into or hinted at, given his lack of interest in personally ridiculing Phelps so long as he does his duty, as well as his apparent dislike for the corrupt former officer Mapes, McKelty is shown to be a relatively straightforward cop.
Case Appearances[]
Arson[]
Gallery[]
