Who Killed Ms. Elle E. Mint?

Oh no!  There has been a murder at Rocky River.  Beloved Chemistry teacher, Ms. Elle E. Mint was discovered in her classroom today, her lifeless body on the floor.  Initial investigators say they found several signs around the death site that suggest foul play.  Four possible causes of her untimely death have been suggested by her principal, Ms. Turner, who has been ruled out as a suspect because of an air-tight alibi(she was at a meeting off-site).  

Your task is to identify who and what killed Ms. Elle E. Mint.  Go to the four different suspect files and calculate the empirical and molecular formulas given in the information.  When completed, see Ms. B for the autopsy report to make you final determination of who killed Ms. Mint, what the method of murder was, and why she was killed.

1. Suspect 1: Franklin Finch

1. Suspect 2: Sheldon Lemieux

1. Suspect 3: Bo Brinkman

1. Suspect 4: Kasey Kerr

1. According to the autopsy report, what killed Ms. Elle E. Mint?

1. Who killed Ms. Elle E. Mint?

1. Write a paragraph (at least 5 sentences) explaining why the murderer killed Ms. Mint?  Use your imagination to come up with a backstory and motive.  Write it on the back of this paper.

Suspect 1: Franklin Finch

An unlabeled drug bottle was found in the medicine cabinet of Ms. Mint’s back prep room.  A 100 g sample of the drug was analyzed and found to contain 64.94% C, 4.50 % H, 20.36% O, and 10.20% S.  The molar mass of the compound was found to be 314.38 g/mol.  It may be a drug prescribed for osteoarthritis.  Coincidentally, Elle’s arthritis has become so intolerable in recent weeks that she’s had to rely on the aid of a crutch for mobility.  Prolonged ingestion of this drug is thought to lead to a heart attack.  Ms. Mint’s doctor, Franklin Finch, has a quiet reputation of prescribing dangerous drugs to “dispose of” unwanted patients.  Lately, Elle has been gaining more recognition in the community due to her latest research on aromatic hydrocarbons, a little side project she is working on.

Suspect 2: Sheldon Lemieux

Several of Elle’s full or partial fingerprints were retrieved from a tipped cup found near the crime scene.  A faint almond scent was detected around the rim.  An 823.15 g liquid sample of the compound was found to contain 3.74% H, 44.43% C, and 51.83% N.  The molar mass was determined to be 27.03 g/mol Ms. Mint’s coworkers has a meeting in her room that afternoon and Ms. Watkins noticed a disgruntled colleague, Sheldon Lemieux, uncharacteristically eager to provide refills.  This was strange as Elle and Sheldon got into a huge fight last week.  The fight was over Elle’s use of school materials for her side project and challenging Sheldon’s authority.

Suspect 3: Bo Brinkman

Elle’s principal mentioned that the osteoarthritis had become so debilitating as of late that she was “popping painkillers like candy.”  Elle’s boyfriend, a fellow teacher, Bo Brinkman, has been giving her over the counter medicine to help. There was a partially full acetaminophen bottle found at the scene.  Chemical analysis of one pill (1454.10 grams) revealed 924.08 g C, 87.39 g H, 134.80 g N, and 300.83 g O.  The molar mass of the drug is known to be 151.18 g/mol.  Bo seems so loving towards Elle, but it has been noticed that he is spending a lot of time with the new guidance counselor, Gilda Lilly.

Suspect 4: Kasey Kerr

Elle’s latest and most brilliant research was on a specific type of hydrocarbon.  Elle, being quite a paranoid individual, wouldn’t specify which one, but a sample was shown to contain only carbon and hydrogen.  Hydrogen contributed 7.76% of the total mass and carbon accounted for 92.24% of the total mass.  The molar mass was determined to be around 78.12 g/mol.  The laboratory had a carefully regulated air flow to prevent high-level inhalation.  Elle periodically mentioned to her principal that she suspected her lab partner, Kasey Kerr, was altering the flow rates.  Curiously, without Elle, the published research could mean thousands of dollars for Kerr.  

Autopsy Report: Elle E. Mint

The autopsy report revealed lethal levels of hydrogen cyanide in Mint’s body.  Hydrogen cyanide is an extremely poisonous liquid which alters cellular respiration by inhibiting enzymes in the mitochondria.