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Spoiler Warning |
| Plot details follow, read at your own risk. |
- "You're in the major leagues now, sonny."
- ―James Donnelly
The Red Lipstick Murder (aka: The Mendez Case or The Henry Case) 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, Galloway, get a briefing from Capt. James Donnelly and drive 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, such as the fact that the characteristics of the injuries indicates that it is the action of the serial killer "The Werewolf."
Persons of Interest[]
- Celine Henry - Murder victim.
- Alonzo Mendez - Vehicle owner seen with Celine Henry on night of murder.
- Dick McColl - Bamba Club owner and proprietor.
- Jacob Henry - Husband of murder victim Celine Henry.
- Jennifer Horgan - Next door neighbor of Celine Henry.
- Joseph Nesco - Witness and Turkey Bowl Diner operator.
Objectives[]
- Investigate "The Moors" Crime Scene
- Investigate The Bamba Club
- Interview Dick McColl
- 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
Fail Conditions[]
- Phelps or Galloway dies
- Crime scene contaminated
- Mendez escapes
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 the coroner, Malcolm Carruthers, and then you'll be able to find the following evidence:
| Stencil | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Found by examining the victim's torso. | ||
| Description | Lipstick markings on body read 'Fuck you BD' and 'Tex' | |
 Clues |
Writing on body | |
| Found by examining the victim's head. | ||
| Description | Blunt force injuries to head and face of victim | |
| Clues |
Blunt force trauma | |
| Found by closely examining the victim's left hand. | ||
| Description | Missing jewelry evident from marks on body | |
| Clues |
Missing jewelry | |
| Found next to the victim's body. | ||
| Description | Size eight men's shoe prints leading to body | |
| Clues |
Size 8 shoe prints | |
| Found inside the victim's purse. | ||
| Description | Cartel Classic Carmine lipstick, unused, found in victim's handbag | |
| Clues |
Lipstick | |
| Found on the ground near the victim. | ||
| Description | Gold-plated table cigarette lighter | |
| Clues |
Bamba Club lighter | |
 Objectives |
Investigate the Bamba Club | |
To open the Bamba Club lighter turn the bottom piece: left three, middle piece: right once, top piece: left twice.
The Bamba Club[]
Drive to the Bamba Club. After talking to the temp 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 | Good Cop |  License plate 2B8899 Track License Plate 2B8899 |
|
| Ring stolen from victim | Doubt | Bad Cop | ||
| Knowledge of husband | Doubt | Bad Cop | 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 newspaper on the floor directly inside the house, then the following clues.
| Stencil | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Found on the dresser next to the photograph. | ||
| Description | Ring missing from Tiffany & Co box | |
| Clues |
Missing jewelry (Updated) | |
| Found on the floor near the dining room table. | ||
| Description | Size nine woman's shoe, no match to victim's injuries or imprints at crime scene | |
| Clues |
Female shoe | |
| Discovered by examining the broken glass on the floor. | ||
| Description | Side window of residence shows signs of being forced | |
| Clues |
Forced entry | |
| Found on the fridge in the kitchen. | ||
| Description | If you sober up you can find me at Apartment 2, 1050 Huntley Drive | |
| Clues |
Jacob Address | |
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, search the apartment for clues.
| Stencil | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Discovered by shading over the notepad near the phone. | ||
| Description | Impression from note written by Jacob Henry concerning wife Celine | |
| Clues |
Death threat note | |
| Found inside the open luggage on the bed. | ||
| Description | Size eleven men's shoes, no match to victim's injuries or imprints at crime scene | |
| Clues |
Size eleven shoes | |
Interview Jacob Henry[]
| Question | Response | Response (Remaster) | Evidence | Clue/Location/P.O.I/Lead/Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movements of victim | Lie | Accuse | Bamba Club Lighter or Husband’s alibi | |
| Last contact with victim | Truth | Good Cop | ||
| Motive for murder | Lie | Accuse | Death threat note | |
| Alibi for Jacob Henry | Lie | Accuse | Husband's Alibi |
The fourth question will only appear if you failed the first one.
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[]
This is entirely optional as it is possible to obtain a 5 star rating without interviewing Jacob.
Interrogate Jacob Henry[]
| Question | Response | Response (Remaster) | Evidence | Clue/Location/P.O.I/Lead/Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to murder weapon | Lie | Accuse | Husband's alibi | |
| Lipstick markings | Truth | Good Cop | ||
| Deterioration of Marriage | Lie | Accuse | Marital problems | |
| Missing Jewelry | Truth | Good Cop |
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.
Be sure to look at the shoe first. 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.
| Stencil | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Found on the floor next to the bed. | ||
| Description | Size eight men's shoes | |
| Clues |
Size eight shoes | |
| Found inside a cardboard box on the floor in the bedroom. | ||
| Description | Socket wrench, stained with blood | |
| Clues |
Socket wrench | |
| Found inside a cardboard box on the floor in the bedroom. | ||
| Description | Cartel Classic Carmine lipstick, used, found among bloody clothing items | |
| Clues |
Used lipstick | |
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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.
Case Briefing[]
"New day, new assignment. Dispatched to a fresh Homicide, one female victim, Caucasian, middle-aged, stripped naked and brutalized in a parkland off Court Street, between Belmont and Glendale. Shades of the Dahlia killing need to be treated with caution. The hysteria won't help the hunt for this woman's killer, and between that and my new partner I have enough to worry about."
Case Notes[]
- "To ease a guilty conscience, McColl might have offered a lead on Celine's movements after the Bamba."
- "Jacob Henry is left to mourn, while Mendez waits in lockup for a visit from the DA."
- "The suspect is in the bag, even if you did leave Jacob sweating in Central lockup."
Quotes[]
- "Do you have a mother, asshole? A sister? How about showing some respect for this poor woman? Let us do our job and Detective Galloway will give you a statement later."
- ― Cole Phelps
Collectibles[]
- At the Henry Residence there is a newspaper in front of the record player.
- A DeSoto 2DR Custom can sometimes be found in the parking lot next to the Bamba Club.
- A DeSoto Custom Suburban can sometimes be found in the parking lot next to the Bamba Club.
- A Cadillac LaSalle Series 50 can sometimes be found in the parking lot next to the Bamba Club.
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 to fail. Just reset your console and that should fix it (PS3, Xbox 360, PC).
- Even if you lose your hat during the fight with Jacob you still have it during the next cut-scene (Jacob's arrest).
- (PC) Major Bug: The clue of the address on the 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).
- Sometimes Jacob Henry will be standing up out of his chair at The Central Police Station which will prevent the player from interrogating him for a couple of seconds
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 on the morning of the 10th 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 the "Nicholson Electroplating" arson case.
- 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 his 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.
- Apartment 15 of Mendez's building belongs to Dudley Lynch. However, his apartment cannot be interacted with in any way.
- 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 the question "Detoriation of Marriage", you can accuse using the evidence/clues "Marital Problems" or "Domestic Abuse". However, this part is optional for the player and does not affect anything in particular (except the "Questions Correct" statistic in the Case Report where you'll get 11/12).
Video Walkthroughs[]
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