TRUE CRIME. REAL STORIES.
THE OFFICIAL HOME OF THE DECODER EDITORIAL PREVIEW
THE DECODER.

BEYOND THE HEADLINE.
INSIDE THE STORY.

// LATEST CASES · 3 MIN READ

The questions worth taking back to the source

A case file is a starting point for understanding, rather than an invitation to speculate.

Editorial illustration of a research file
Illustrative imagery; not evidence from a reported case.
Editorial preview · This is a sample article for the new site. It does not report a real case or current news event.

Separate the question from the answer

It is easy for a question to become an assumption when it is repeated. Writing down what a source actually establishes, alongside what it leaves open, keeps those two things apart.

Notice where an account begins

A first-hand account, a later recollection, and a summary have different contexts. Understanding where a piece of information comes from helps us decide which further questions to ask.

Keep people in view

A case is more than an engaging puzzle. This preview imagines a case-file section that gives readers a place to explore context thoughtfully, without presenting speculation as a finding.

// THE CONVERSATION

Reader comments.

Keep it respectful and relevant to the report. No personal information, harassment or unsupported accusations. Comments are readers’ views.

Loading your sign-in status…

THE DECODER.