(GodOfReader: I think this Chapter is some kind of filler.)
Let's go back in time.
February 22, 2001, 9:20 AM, Los Angeles.
The Hollywood community police received a report.
When the police arrived at the residence in question, they discovered the body of a 22-year-old Caucasian woman. The victim had multiple stab wounds—47 in total, with 12 being fatal.
The victim's name was Ashley Ellerin, a 22-year-old model living in the Hollywood community.
After a police inspection of the scene, they determined that this was not a sexual assault case, and there was no sign of theft. Blood was splattered everywhere, but no fingerprints were found in the home. It was a premeditated act of violent murder.
The police then questioned the person who reported the crime.
The caller was Ashley's roommate, also a model, who had been out partying all night and only returned in the morning.
The two of them had just recently moved into this apartment.
Upon examination, there were no signs of forced entry or damage to the door. The police preliminarily concluded that it was likely committed by someone Ashley knew.
Thus began a series of investigations.
In the course of their investigation, police learned that Ashley Ellerin was a typical Hollywood dreamer.
Born into a middle-class family in Southern California, Ashley had a lively personality from a young age. She loved participating in activities and was always surrounded by friends. She had been studying fashion design and marketing, dreaming of becoming a designer.
In 1999, at the age of 19, she moved to Hollywood to pursue better opportunities. This striking blonde quickly embarked on a modeling career.
She lived near the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Living and working in Hollywood, she often saw famous directors and superstar actors under the spotlight.
The glamorous lifestyle of the elite fascinated her, and Ashley changed her dream.
She decided she wanted to become a Hollywood star instead.
The Hollywood atmosphere significantly altered her mindset. She became increasingly impatient for fame and success.
Friends told police that Ashley's carefree nature spiraled into recklessness.
To expand her network in Hollywood, Ashley attended numerous parties. Immersed in an indulgent atmosphere, she lost her self-discipline, dabbling in various illicit substances to meet more "useful" people. She also worked as a stripper and pole dancer in nightclubs to support herself.
She frequently partied with Hollywood celebrities and often stayed out all night.
Among the results of her social endeavors, one stood out: she entered a relationship with Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher.
However, she was his secret lover, someone he couldn't openly acknowledge.
At the time, Kutcher had just made his acting debut in the sitcom That '70s Show, starting to gain recognition in Hollywood.
The police questioned Ashton Kutcher, who stated that he and Ashley had met through mutual friends and maintained a close yet ambiguous relationship.
On the day of the murder, February 21, 2001, Kutcher planned to invite Ashley to a cast party celebrating the success of his TV show.
However, his work ended later than expected, and he missed their planned meeting time.
At 8:24 PM, he called Ashley. She told him she had just taken a shower and would wait for him at home.
When Kutcher finished work at 10:15 PM, he called her again, but Ashley didn't answer.
At 10:45 PM, Kutcher drove to her home. The lights were on, but no one answered the door. When he tried the doorknob, it was locked.
Looking through the window, he saw what appeared to be red wine spilled on the floor, but the dim lighting made it hard to see clearly. Because Ashley and her roommate had recently hosted several parties, Kutcher assumed the mess was leftover from another gathering.
He called her again, but there was still no response. Thinking she might be drunk or had gone out, he left.
After the incident, Kutcher fully cooperated with the police. His call records played a critical role in establishing the timeline of the murder.
The crime was determined to have occurred between 8:24 PM and 10:15 PM—a span of less than two hours.
During a third search of the apartment, police discovered a single fingerprint.
The fingerprint belonged to Mark Durbin, the apartment building's maintenance worker and a struggling actor.
Mark told police that he had gone to Ashley's apartment that evening to fix a broken light.
After completing the repair, Ashley invited him to stay for dinner.
According to Mark, they bonded over shared struggles in Hollywood. Fueled by wine, the evening turned romantic, and they sought solace in each other.
Later, Ashley told him she had plans to attend a party that night. After she showered and received a call from Ashton Kutcher, Mark said he left.
Mark cooperated fully with the investigation, and his alibi was confirmed.
Police determined that the murder occurred shortly after Mark left.
Based on neighbors' testimonies, police deduced that during the time Mark and Ashley were together in the apartment, someone had been watching them through the window.
Given Ashley's open lifestyle and the brutality of the murder—47 stab wounds—it appeared to be a crime of passion, possibly driven by jealousy or rage.
The police began examining her extensive social connections.
One name stood out: Michael Gargiulo, an HVAC technician.
Michael lived nearby and often walked his dog in the park opposite Ashley's house. The two had exchanged phone numbers and lived just one block apart.
Ashley's roommate recalled an unsettling incident: Michael had once attended a party at their home uninvited. He didn't speak to anyone and sat silently in a corner.
Police began investigating Michael Gargiulo and made a shocking discovery:
In 1993, a murder occurred in a suburb near Chicago, and Michael was a suspect.
On August 13, 1993, in Glenview, Illinois, 18-year-old Tricia Pacaccio attended her high school graduation party. The next day, her father found her stabbed to death in their garage. She had been stabbed 24 times, with three wounds being fatal.
Michael Gargiulo had been one of the suspects in that case.
The Los Angeles police collected a DNA sample from Gargiulo.
However, after submitting his sample, Gargiulo fled the community, disappearing without a trace.
Police had to wait for Chicago authorities to send over Tricia Pacaccio's DNA results for comparison, but delays on both sides allowed Gargiulo to escape.
When the DNA comparison finally confirmed Gargiulo's involvement in both murders, it was too late—he had vanished.