Welcome back to another gripping edition of Solved Files! Whether you're one of our loyal readers or a newcomer to the community, we’re thrilled to have you with us on this journey through the darkest corners of true crime. Together, we unravel the mysteries that haunt the past, and each new discovery brings us closer to justice.

This issue promises to be our most intense yet packed with shocking revelations, behind-the-scenes insights, and heart-stopping new cases that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. We’ve poured hours of investigation, analysis, and storytelling into this edition, and we can't wait for you to dive in.

Here’s what’s in store for you today:

• ✍️ Breaking news

• ✍️ Case stud

• ✍️ Myths vs facts 

• ✍️ Tip of the Week

• ✍️ Crime Puzzle Answer

• ✍️ Fun Statics

• ✍️ Q & A

• ✍️ Behind the Scene

🚨BREAKING NEWS 🚨

One Direction singer Liam Payne found dead in Argentina

Liam Payne, former member of the world-renowned boy band One Direction, was tragically found dead outside a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Payne, 31, suffered fatal injuries after falling from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the fashionable Palermo district of the city.

According to a statement from Buenos Aires police, they responded to an emergency call reporting an "aggressive man" at the Casa Sur Hotel who may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Upon arrival, officers heard a loud thud and discovered Payne’s body in the hotel courtyard.

Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, confirmed Payne’s death on the scene and announced that an investigation was underway to determine whether he jumped or fell by accident.

Payne’s former bandmate Harry Styles broke his silence following the devastating news, sharing an emotional tribute on Instagram:

Styles also extended his condolences to Payne’s family, including his parents Karen and Geoff, his sisters Nicola and Ruth, and his son Bear.

The band’s history traces back to 2010 when Payne, Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson were combined into a group during the British talent show The X Factor. Although they lost the competition, One Direction became one of the most successful boy bands of all time, with hits like “What Makes You Beautiful” and a massive global fan base known as "Directioners."

In recent years, Payne had been open about his battles with addiction and mental health, which worsened during his time with One Direction. In a 2021 podcast interview with Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO, Payne revealed how "pills and booze" led to moments of severe distress, including suicidal thoughts.

Despite his challenges, Payne launched a successful solo career, releasing his debut album LP1 in 2019. He was dropped by his record label, Universal Music, just days before the tragedy occurred.

News of Payne’s death quickly spread, with shocked fans gathering outside the Casa Sur Hotel. The crowd, mostly young women, paid tribute to the star who had been a significant figure during their teenage years. Many recorded the scene on their phones, while police guarded the area.

Just days after his untimely death, details from his partial autopsy began to shed light on what happened in the hours leading up to the incident.

As fans mourned the sudden loss, Payne’s partial autopsy, released just five days after his death, revealed shocking details about his final moments. According to the autopsy, multiple drugs were found in his system, including a substance called “pink cocaine.”

What is Pink Cocaine?

Despite its name, pink cocaine contains no actual cocaine. Instead, it is a dangerous cocktail of drugs, often including ecstasy, ketamine, caffeine, and a psychedelic drug known as 2C-B. According to the National Capital Poison Center, this vibrant pink powder, sometimes strawberry-flavored, is often used in party settings and can cause severe effects such as hallucinations, anxiety, nausea, elevated body temperature, and increased heart rate.

The substance’s unpredictable nature has been linked to physical and sexual assaults, as well as traumatic injuries, when users are impaired. Additionally, samples of pink cocaine have been found to contain even more dangerous contaminants, such as opioids or hallucinogens.

While pink cocaine is not considered as addictive as opioids or fentanyl, it still carries significant risks, including long-term heart issues and the potential for stroke.

Liam Payne’s autopsy didn’t just uncover pink cocaine in his system. According to sources close to the investigation, traces of cocaine, benzodiazepines, and crack were also detected. The combination of these substances paints a tragic picture of a man struggling with addiction in the final moments of his life.

Liam Payne’s sudden death is a sobering reminder of the struggles faced by many who rise to fame at a young age. From his early days in The X Factor to his years with One Direction, Payne was loved by millions of fans worldwide. But beneath the fame, he battled demons that ultimately led to his tragic end.

In Memory of Liam Payne

We invite you to share your thoughts and memories of Liam Payne. Whether it’s a favorite One Direction song or a personal story of how his music touched your life, we’d love to hear from you. Submit your thoughts, and we’ll feature some in next week’s issue.

❌ Myth vs. Fact ✅

Real Life Example: The Golden State Killer, responsible for murders and assaults in the 1970s and 80s, evaded capture for decades. Despite having DNA evidence, forensic technology wasn’t advanced enough to identify him. It wasn’t until 2018, over 30 years later, that DNA genealogy databases helped pinpoint Joseph James DeAngelo as the killer. This case shows how real forensic breakthroughs often take much longer than portrayed on TV.

Pay attention to body language in interrogation footage.

Use Case: In the Casey Anthony trial, careful observation of her police interrogations revealed signs of discomfort and avoidance, particularly when discussing her missing daughter. She crossed her arms, avoided eye contact, and fidgeted—subtle cues that contradicted her spoken claims of innocence. While body language alone doesn’t prove guilt, these nonverbal behaviors can suggest anxiety, deception, or withholding information.

Why This Is Helpful: Body language analysis can be a useful tool in true crime investigations because it often reveals what words do not. When suspects are questioned, their nonverbal responses can provide additional layers of understanding, allowing investigators and viewers to identify inconsistencies or signs of distress. This helps you build a more complete picture of the case, especially when paired with other evidence like testimony or forensic data.

🔎 Decode a Killer’s Message Answer 🔍

Congratulations to everyone who participated in last week’s crime puzzle! Many of you took on the challenge of decoding a message inspired by the infamous Zodiac Killer, who taunted the public and police with ciphers and letters. Now, it's time to reveal the decoded message and the eerie statement hidden within.

Let's walk through the solution:

The Cipher

Step 1: Recognizing the Substitution Cipher

This puzzle used a substitution cipher, where each letter is replaced by another letter consistently throughout the message. The key is to identify common letters and word patterns based on frequency, which is essential in cracking the code.

Step 2: Analyzing Common Letters and Patterns

• The letter "L" appears frequently, and in English, common letters like "E" or "A" are the most likely candidates. After testing different substitutions, we determined that "L" represents "E."

• Next, we noticed short words like "KR" and "CZ." After decoding, "KR" becomes "IS" and "CZ" becomes "TO," which are very common in English phrases.

Step 3: The Decoded Message

Using substitution techniques and matching the letters to their proper English counterparts, we arrived at the final decoded message:

"THE ZODIAC KILLER WANTS YOU

IS I NEXT VICTIM FOR THE AFTERLIFE

TO JOIN THE GREAT SLAVES IN MY COLLECTION

TO FINISH MY FINAL CALL"

Interpretation of the Message:

In classic Zodiac Killer style, the message is both cryptic and chilling. It appears to be a boastful statement about his desire to collect "slaves for the afterlife," a phrase he famously used in his letters to the police. The killer taunts the reader, suggesting they could be the "next victim," and hints at some final plan or call to action, a hallmark of the Zodiac's unsettling communication style.

Well done to everyone who cracked the code! This exercise was inspired by real Zodiac ciphers, giving you a small taste of the cryptic nature of the original case.

Keep your detective skills sharp—there’s more to come in next week’s edition!

💭Did You Know?💭

Although people of color make up approximately 40% of all missing persons cases in the U.S., these cases receive disproportionately less media attention than those involving white individuals. 

This imbalance is part of a phenomenon known as "Missing White Woman Syndrome," where cases of missing white women and children often dominate headlines, while cases involving Black, Latino, and Indigenous individuals go underreported or even ignored.

This discrepancy can have devastating consequences, as media attention plays a crucial role in raising public awareness, increasing search efforts, and bringing justice for victims and their families. In many cases, the faster a disappearance is reported on, the greater the likelihood of finding the missing person alive.

A striking example of this disparity is the case of Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old white woman whose disappearance in 2021 sparked widespread media coverage, social media campaigns, and national attention. Within days, search efforts were launched across state lines, and her case dominated news outlets globally.

In stark contrast, Daniel Robinson, a 24-year-old Black geologist, went missing around the same time in the Arizona desert. Despite his father's relentless efforts to search for his son, Daniel's case received only a fraction of the attention that Gabby’s did. His disappearance, which involved strange circumstances and potential foul play, remains unsolved to this day. The limited media coverage of his case hindered efforts to mobilize the public and authorities in the same way that high-profile cases like Gabby’s did.

The situation is even more dire for Indigenous women, who go missing at disproportionately high rates. For example, Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a 22-year-old Indigenous woman from North Dakota, was murdered in 2017, and her case initially received little attention until local activists fought for it to be covered by the media. This is part of a larger crisis often referred to as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) epidemic, where Indigenous women disappear or are killed at alarming rates, yet receive minimal investigative resources or national attention.

These examples reveal a troubling pattern: who gets media attention can significantly impact the course of an investigation. Cases involving people of color often take longer to gain traction, if they gain it at all, delaying justice and leaving families without closure.

By shining a light on this disparity, we can raise awareness about the importance of equal treatment in missing persons cases and demand that all victims, regardless of race or background, receive the attention and resources they deserve.

We Want to Hear From You!

As part of our growing Solved Files community, your input is invaluable in shaping the content we deliver in each newsletter. We’re committed to bringing you the best true crime stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and interactive content. Now, we’d love to know:

Q1: What type of content do you enjoy most in the newsletter?

Q2: Would you like to see more interactive elements?

Q3: How can we make the newsletter more engaging for you?

Q4: Are there any specific cases or topics you’d like us to cover?

Q5: How often would you like to receive the newsletter?

Q6: Are there any new sections you’d like to see in the newsletter?

We value your feedback! Please reply to this newsletter or reach out through our community platform. We’ll use your responses to make the Solved Files newsletter even better. Your thoughts might just shape our next big feature!

How We Build Solved Files from the Ground Up

Ever wonder what it takes to bring all the pieces together for Solved Files? From our in-depth videos to the carefully curated newsletters and Patreon content, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes to make it all come to life.

Here’s a Sneak Peek Into Our Process:

1. Crafting the Videos
   Our true crime videos start with extensive research, gathering court documents, case files, and raw footage. From there, we create timelines, build narratives, and collaborate with forensic and legal experts to ensure accuracy. Then, the editing team works its magic—piecing together footage, sound design, and visuals to create compelling storytelling that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

1. Building the Newsletter
   Each week, we craft a newsletter that dives deep into some of the most fascinating crime stories, filled with true crime facts, updates, and interactive sections like the crime puzzle challenge. It’s more than just writing it’s about researching the latest developments, reviewing unsolved cases, and packaging the most intriguing content for you to enjoy every week.

1. Creating Patreon Content
   For our Patreon supporters, we take things to the next level. From ad-free, uncensored videos to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, we’re constantly working to provide you with content that can’t be found anywhere else. We brainstorm new ideas, gather unseen materials, and give Patreon members early access to our latest episodes. Plus, we offer members-only chats where the community helps shape future content!

In just a short time, many true crime enthusiasts have already joined our Patreon community to get exclusive content, early access, and a behind-the-scenes look into how we create everything. Spots in our top tiers are filling up fast, and we’re only opening a limited number of memberships this month.

Don’t miss out on being part of something bigger. Once these spots are gone, they’re gone!

➡️ Click here to join the Solved Files Patreon Community and secure your spot before it’s too late!

P.S. heres a sneak peak of our exclusive content from our last video

and if you haven’t checked out our latest video yet head over to our youtube channel or watch it below

🔔 Join the Solved Files Community 🔔

Are you ready to dive even deeper into the world of true crime?
Check out my YouTube channel for in-depth case breakdowns, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive footage! Each week, I cover some of the most chilling cases, piecing together clues just like we do in this newsletter.

But that’s not all! Want to unlock even more exclusive content?
Join our Patreon community where true crime enthusiasts like you get special access to full case files, bonus episodes, and deep dives into the details not shared anywhere else. You’ll also get to participate in Q&A sessions and polls to shape future content! Choose the tier that fits you best whether you're a Clue Collector, Evidence Expert, or Master Detective!

💡 Why join?

• Early access to videos before they go live on YouTube

• Exclusive true crime series only available to patrons

• Behind-the-scenes content on how I research and investigate each case

• Patron shoutouts and involvement in upcoming projects!

Thank you for supporting the Solved files community together, we’ll keep uncovering the truth!