Carolina Tate

Carolina Tate was the victim in Lighter Than Air (Case #5).

Role in Case(s)
While she did not appear prior to her death, Carolina played a crucial role in all the previous cases. She used poetic messages to convince the killers into killing with a specific murder weapon to fit a modus operandi - specifically, using the phases from the Wu Xing concept from Chinese medicine and feng shui as elements to kill.

Murder Details
Carolina was found by Baxter McDonald to be dead next to a tree.

Ferdinand Amado said that Carolina was forced to ingest helium through a pressurized tank, depriving her brain of oxygen. She could have fought back if the killer had not exploited her acupressure points to knock her unconscious. Ferdinand concluded that the killer knew the broader practice of acupuncture.

Jackson Walters and the player later found the helium can that was used to kill Carolina in Li Huang's herbal shop. There was a white powdery substance on it which Madelyn Henley identified as talcum powder, hence the killer used talcum powder.

Killer and Motives
The killer was revealed to be Carolina's maid, Rita Lopez.

Rita confessed immediately to the crime. Jackson asked if she killed her because she kept stressing her out but Rita merely laughed, telling Jackson that he was naïve. Rita said that she was also in the organization that Carolina was in. Carolina introduced a new modus operandi to replace the old "four Western elements" they had. The leader thought it genius and immediately made her right-hand woman. Carolina was becoming too proud of herself. When Li Huang told Rita that Carolina was misusing the concept of Wu Xing, Rita felt like she had to kill her to "stop the madness". She took some helium and burst her lungs, saying that a murder with air signified a break in Carolina's modus operandi.

Rita committed suicide by detonating a surgically implanted explosive device inside her to avoid being incarcerated. The blast incapacitated Jackson from further investigating.

Case Appearances

 * The Stakes Are High (Case #4; mentioned)
 * Lighter Than Air