Alex Smith, the CEO and co-founder of the promising security software startup 'SecureNet', was found murdered in his office. Alex was on the brink of launching a groundbreaking security system, and a major contract was just within his reach.

On the night of the incident, Alex had stayed late at the office, preparing for an important client presentation. His body was discovered the next morning by his secretary, Maria Gomez, who had come in early.

The police have identified four suspects: Michael Johnson, the CTO; Sara Ali, the CFO; Ian O'Connor, the Marketing Director; and Sophia Rodriguez, the Head of Security.

The crime scene holds several intriguing clues, and discrepancies in the suspects' testimonies suggest that there is more to this mystery. It's up to the CSI team to piece together the puzzle and uncover the truth.

• CCTV Records: The office CCTV cameras were offline for 15 minutes, from 11:25 PM to 11:40 PM on the night of the murder.
• Murder Weapon: A high-end crystal paperweight found at the scene, bearing the victim's DNA and fingerprints.
• Fingerprints: Besides the victim's, faint fingerprints suggestive of someone wearing gloves were found on the murder weapon.
• Email Records: An anonymous email was found in Alex's inbox, threatening, "I know your secret."
• Voice Memo: On Alex's phone, a memo was discovered where he says, "I've found a flaw in quantum encryption. I can't proceed with this..."
• Broken Coffee Cup: A shattered coffee cup was found on the floor beside Alex's desk, with two sets of coffee stains on the desk.
• Security Logs: The building's security logs show five entries and exits between 10 PM and midnight on the night of the murder.
• Laptop Records: Activity on Alex's laptop abruptly stopped at 11:28 PM.

Michael Johnson is the CTO of SecureNet and co-founded the company with Alex. He has been responsible for technical leadership and has always led the team with a logical and composed demeanor.

Testimony:

• "On the day of the incident, I was working with Alex on the final review of the quantum encryption technology until 10 PM. Although we had some technical disagreements, it wasn't anything serious."
• "Around 10:30 PM, I returned to my office to continue coding. Around 11:15 PM, I briefly stopped by Alex's office to have a coffee and chat, and then left the office to go home around 11:35 PM."
• "I had no idea the CCTV was turned off. I generally don't get involved with the security system."
• "Around 11:40 PM, I left the office, and as I was leaving, the lights in Alex's office were off. I assumed he had already left."
• "Alex seemed to be secretly communicating with someone recently, but I don’t know who it was."

Sara Ali is the CFO of SecureNet and oversees the company's finances. She is known for her mathematical thinking and meticulous planning, which have greatly influenced the company's financial stability.

Testimony:

• "On the day of the incident, I was working on a financial report for an investor meeting until 9 PM."
• "At around 10 PM, I went to Alex's office to discuss the financial report. He seemed very tense at the time."
• "Around 11:20 PM, I returned to my office to finish up, but I heard a loud noise, so I went outside to check. However, I didn't see anyone, so I continued working."
• "I left the office just before midnight, and at that time, the lights in Alex's office were off."
• "Recently, I had a feeling that Alex was using company funds in a suspicious way, but I didn't have concrete evidence."

Ian O'Connor is the Marketing Director at SecureNet, overseeing the company's branding and public relations. While he has driven the company's growth with his excellent interpersonal skills, his relationship with Alex has often been tense.

Testimony:

• "On the day of the incident, I was working late preparing a new marketing campaign. At around 10:30 PM, I saw Alex having a heated phone conversation with someone. I didn't want to interfere, so I just passed by."
• "Around 11:10 PM, I went to get coffee and passed by Alex's office. The door was closed, and I could hear him talking to someone."
• "At 11:25 PM, I went back to my office to finish up and then returned to Alex's office to talk with him again. The door wasn't locked, so I entered easily and had a brief conversation with him."
• "Around 11:40 PM, I noticed that the CCTV monitor was off. I thought it was strange but assumed it was just a temporary issue, so I didn't report it to anyone."
• "At around 11:50 PM, before leaving the office, I passed by Alex's office again. The door was still closed, and there were no lights on inside."
• "I've recently been worried because of rumors that Alex was in contact with a competitor, which led to a few disagreements between us."

Sophia Rodriguez is the Head of Security at SecureNet, responsible for both physical and digital security of the company. She is known for her strict adherence to protocols and her deep understanding of security systems.

Testimony:

• "On the day of the incident, I was conducting a routine security system check from 10 PM to midnight. This check was requested by Alex as an exception."
• "At around 11:15 PM, I passed by Alex's office and heard him having a heated argument with someone. I assumed it was a personal matter, so I didn't intervene."
• "The CCTV was turned off from 11:25 PM for 15 minutes as part of the security check."
• "At around 11:45 PM, I did a final patrol near Alex's office. The lights were off, and I didn't notice anything unusual."
• "Just after midnight, when I left the office, the lights in Alex's office were still off, and the door was locked. I assumed he had already left."
• "Alex had recently violated security protocols a few times, so I had given him warnings about it."