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Spoiler Warning |
| Plot details follow, read at your own risk. |
- "You are in the major leagues now, sonny."
- ―James Donnelly
The Red Lipstick Murder is a Homicide case in L.A. Noire. This is the first case Cole Phelps takes on the Homicide Desk, after being promoted from the Traffic Desk.
Description
The mission takes place six months after Cole's promotion. He and his new Homicide partner, Rusty Galloway, gets a briefing from Capt. James Donnelly and drives to the crime scene. At the crime scene, on a hill called The Moors, they find the body, marked off by police tape. The victim found at the scene is naked, mutilated, and badly beaten. You see the footprint on the woman's chest, a message written in lipstick, and a piece of jewelry torn from her finger. One of the officers present then comes and brings some relevant information about the case, as the fact that injuries characteristic indicates that it is the action of the serial killer "The Werewolf."
Objectives
- Investigate "The Moors" Crime Scene
- Investigate The Bamba Club
- Interview Dick McColl
- Suspect seen with victim - Truth
- Ring stolen from victim - Doubt
- Knowledge of husband - Doubt
- Trace License Plate 2B8899
- Investigate Celine Henry's Residence
- Canvass the Neighbors
- Investigate Jacob Henry's Apartment
- Interview Jacob Henry
- Subdue Jacob Henry
- Contact KGPL
- Interrogate Jacob Henry
- Investigate Mendez's Apartment
- Apprehend Alonzo Mendez
Detailed Walkthrough
Phelps is told in briefing that he and his new partner Rusty Galloway are to investigate 'The Moors' crime scene.
Crime Scene
Once on the scene, you’ll talk to Officer Houlihan. Talk to coroner Malcolm Carruthers, and you'll be able to find the following evidence:
- Look at the writing on victim’s torso.
- Closely inspect the head injury.
- Closely inspect the victim’s left hand for a missing ring.
- Observe the size 8 shoe prints.
- The victim's purse, which contains lipstick.
- The Bamba Club lighter (to open the Bamba Club lighter: turn the bottom piece: left three, middle piece: right once, top piece: left twice).
Bamba Club
Drive to the Bamba Club. After talking to the barman, Garrett Mason, head to the back of the club and speak to Mr. McColl:
Interview Dick McColl
| Question | Response | Response (Remaster) | Evidence | Clue/Location/P.O.I/Lead/Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspect seen with victim | Truth | Truth | License plate number | |
| Ring stolen from victim | Doubt | Truth | ||
| Knowledge of husband | Doubt | Truth | Husband's alibi |
Answering "Suspect seen with victim" correctly will unlock the "Round Heels" secret achievement/trophy
Before you leave, use the payphone at the front of the Bamba Club to start the trace on the license plate.
Henry Residence
Drive to the Henry Residence. Once inside, Pick up the following:
- Newspaper in front of the record player.
- In the bedroom, look at the photo.
- The Tiffany & Co Ring Case on the dresser.
- In the dining room, pick up the women's shoe, and look at its sole.
- In the kitchen, look at the note on the fridge.
- The glass on the floor, also in the kitchen.
Canvass the neighbors southward, at the blue house. In the backyard is Jennifer Horgan; talk to her.
Jacob Henry's Apartment
Drive to Jacob Henry's apartment. Before talking to Jacob:
- Read the impression from the note pad beside the phone.
- In the bedroom, in the luggage on the bed, pick up the men's shoe and look at its sole.
Interview Jacob Henry:
| Question | Response | Response (Remaster) | Evidence | Clue/Location/P.O.I/Lead/Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movements of victim | Lie | Truth | Bamba Club Lighter, Husband's Alibi | |
| Last contact with victim | Truth | Truth | ||
| Motive for murder | Lie | Truth | Death threat note |
Then, Rusty will enrage Jacob who instigates a fistfight. Defend yourself against Jacob, then use the telephone in the kitchen to call for transport, to pick up a message from the coroner about the cause of death, and to learn that the license plate was traced to Alonzo Mendez.
Central Police Station
Interrogate Jacob Henry
- This is entirely optional as it is possible to obtain a 5 star rating without interviewing Jacob - the case notes will read "The suspect is in the bag, even if you did leave Jacob sweating in Central lockup."
| Question | Response | Response (Remaster) | Evidence | Clue/Location/P.O.I/Lead/Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to murder weapon | Lie | Truth | Husband's alibi | |
| Lipstick markings | Truth | Truth | ||
| Deterioration of Marriage | Lie | Truth | Marital problems | |
| Missing Jewelry | Truth | Truth |
Alonzo Mendez's Apartment
Drive to Alonzo Mendez's apartment. Look at the mailboxes and go inside. Enter Alonzo’s apartment on the fourth floor:
- In the bedroom, beside the bed, look closely at the shoe. If you do not look at the shoe before you look at the items in the bloody box, you will be forced into a cutscene and you will miss a clue at the end of the case, although it is possible to obtain a five star rating if all questions are answered correctly and damage is kept to a minimum.
- In a bloody box is a socket wrench and lipstick. Make sure to look closely at each.
As Phelps and Rusty leave the bedroom, Alonzo arrives home. Pursue Alonzo across the rooftops toward the gas station, where Rusty pulls up with the car. Chase and arrest Alonzo.
Bugs/Glitches
- The blue/grey house to the right of the Henry Residence has a side door that Phelps can run up then down. Going over the roof can nearly kill you and going left can cause you to lose your hat for the rest of the case if it gets stuck on the roof. If Cole gets stuck on the roof, he will attempt to get up, causing him to go through the house and appear on the ground (Fixed on Xbox 360).
- The Police Wagon that picks up Jacob Henry drives away without a driver.
- Jennifer Horgan not appearing in the end (PC).
- When chasing Alonzo, you may not be able to drive the car causing the case failed. Just reset your console and that should fix it (Xbox 360, PC).
- Even if you lose your hat during fight with Jacob you still have it during the next cut-scene (Jacob's arrest).
- (PC) Major Bug, The clue of the address on fridge at the Henry Residence does not register as a location address in the notebook, forcing gameplay to cease (no follow up location to go to).
Trivia
- This case is highly influenced by the murder of Jeanne French. Jeanne French was a 45-year-old army nurse who was discovered stripped and stomped to death early in the morning in February 1947. The case was never officially solved, but was supposedly linked to the infamous "Black Dahlia" murder because the initials "B.D." were written with lipstick on French's dead body and the murder took place just weeks after the murder of Elizabeth Short (Black Dahlia), which also took place in 1947 Los Angeles.
- The painting of a black dog in Jacob Henry's apartment is a reproduction of Eos by Edwin Landseer, a famous 1841 portrait of Prince Albert's dog commissioned by Queen Victoria as a surprise Christmas present.
- According to his overalls, Jacob Henry works for Hughes Aircraft, the company featured in "Nicholson Electroplating" arson case.
- Interestingly enough, at the crime scene on the PS3 version of the game, the footprints are exhibit "B," and the globe is "C"; whereas in the Xbox 360 version, it is the opposite.
- The ring removal wound is found on the left hand, while on the photo in the bedroom in the Henry residence, Celine Henry wears it on the right hand. Furthermore, Phelps mentions to McColl during his interrogation that the missing ring was torn from her finger, but not her wedding finger.
- The actress that plays the neighbor also worked on the T.V. series Mad Men.
- Right after taking Jacob Henry into custody, you can drive a Tow Truck and a Police Wagon if you're quick.
- The Newspaper is dated August 18th, 1947. The Henry Residence still has their calendar set to January.
- The headline for the newspaper refers to a house fire death which is referring to either the Sawyer or Morelli family in the Arson cases.
- At the crime scene the player can find a knife in the bushes however it is not relevant to the crime.
- After the case, you can still enter Mendez's apartment by climbing the drainpipe, jumping up to the higher rooftop, climbing the ladder, and going through the open window of the apartment.
- The Henry residence can be entered after the case as well, by going through the back door.
- Apartment 14 of Mendez's building is occupied by "N. Wolffe," presumably a reference to Nero Wolfe, the fictional private detective.
- If failing the first question towards McColl, you'll still get the License plate number after Jacob's apartment, during the phonecall. You'll head to the Turkey Bowl restaurant and speak with the owner of the said restaurant (Joe Nesco). When asking the two questions, all are Truth and later, you'll have the clues License Plate 2B8899 and Domestic Abuse. A shootout will be held, nothing related to the case, though. In addition, when asking Jacob regarding of Detoriation of Marriage, you can answer either by Marital Problems or the Domestic Abuse clues. However, this part is Optional by the player and it does not affect anything in particular (except the Questions Correct part where you'll get 11/12), nor receive a trophy/achievement.
Video walkthrough
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