n Valentine's Day, 1995, a stark site suddenly appeared on the World Wide Web: "YOUNG WOMAN BRUTALLY SLAIN" was the lurid headline emblazoned over the body of a woman on a kitchen floor. No-nonsense graphics identified the site as an "Evidence File" from the Law Enforcement Division of Yoknapatawpha County.

The document, entitled Crime Scene Evidence File, described in grisly detail the murder of a young woman in Oxford, Mississippi.

The public was invited to participate in the investigation, by asking questions, offering observations, and providing leads. Many have taken up the challenge. Crime Scene's Comments Page contains dozens of contributions from interested readers.

In recent months, new developments have been reported on the site; many leads from readers have been followed up; confidence appears to be growing that the murderer of Valerie Wilson will be found.

Meanwhile, here at Web Review, we've been pursuing a related story: who, exactly, is Tom Arriola, the shady character behind this unsigned site? And why did he create the Crime Scene Evidence File?

We have recently discovered that others -- including Prodigy Network Services, ABC News, and National Public Radio -- have been following the same trail.

Our investigation, still in progress, begins with our First Contact. The trail continues through A Debriefing, Important Documents, and Audio Files. If you lose the scent, click on the image of the victim: that will always bring you back to this page.

Dust for fingerprints