Lucratzi Gcross

Lucratzi Gcross was an enigmatic serial murderer well known for the bizarre circumstances of his life.

Crimes

Lucratzi was convicted of murdering four women in A.Y. 5418. At the time the planet where this occurred had no death penalty, so to ensure he would never again become a threat to society, he was sentenced to 500 years in prison for each murder, to be served consecutively. Under the then laws of his home world, a prisoner could be eligible for parole after serving just 40% of his prison time. As this was still much longer than an ordinary human life, the punishment was deemed sufficient.

Prison Time

Lucratzi was believed to be 29 years old at the time he was incarcerated. While in prison he did not appear to age. This fact was mostly ignored until A.Y. 5480, when a then ninety-one year old Lucratzi applied for compassionate release. He was turned down, and a medical examination order. So shocking were the finds, that courts immediately ordered his DNA be tested against the stored copy. During 62 years of incarceration, Lucratzi did not appear to have aged at all. When questioned, he claimed it was merely an illusion, that because of his clean living and daily regime he was relatively healthy for his age. This statement was enough to deny him compassionate release.

He tried again in A.Y 5509, when he would be 120 years old according to his birth certificate, this generally being accepted as the maximum human lifespan. Though he had since acquired some scars and prison tattoos, he appeared no different from his previous examination. Authorities were baffled, but again denied him release on the grounds that he was still plenty fit. Though efforts were made, no experts expressed interest in studying Lucratzi, with the general consensus being that he must have lied about his age.

By A.Y. 5538, rumors were circulating about this bizarre individual. Lucratzi had now spent the entirety of a normal human lifespan behind bars. Parallels were drawn to Hermen Scopal, a notable figure from the previous age. However Scopal was not human, his long-life was easily explained by being a "Passer". Prison authorities were still unable to garner legitimate scientific interest in Lucratzi, so his genetic code was published online. Despite receiving only amateur study, Lucratzi was found to be fully human.

In A.Y. 5618 Lucratzi applied for parole, having completed 40% of the first of his 500-year sentences. Parole was initially denied owing to the heinousness of his crimes, which led to public backlash and the first serious interest in his unusual biology. Parole was granted upon public pressure, but because his sentences were consecutive, he still had 1500 years to go. Prison authorities further refused to allow Lucratzi out their sight. A team of scientists was allowed access to him, even constructing a makeshift lab on prison grounds. No biological explanation could be found for his unusual long life (then 229 years of age), though his brain activity was observed to be "highly unusual".

Thinking they had found the key to eternal life, a team of scientists dubbed "The Lucratzi Nine" (because there were exactly 17 of them) dedicated their entire careers to the study of this one individual. Lucratzi outlived all of them, remarking that "they really gave it the old college try" in A.Y. 5712 long after the last researcher had died.

In 5715, Lucratzi was given a new trial. No new evidence was involved and the verdict was already determined well in advance; however, in the 297 years Lucratzi had spent in prison many laws were changed and a new trial was the most expedient way to update his sentence. The only real change to come out of the trial was that Lucratzi was given access to a "points system" that allowed prisoners to earn time off from their sentences for good behavior. The system had been introduced over a hundred years earlier, but Lucratzi was never eligible for it due to receiving his sentence before it was implemented.

Following his trial, Lucratzi began working a prison job and tirelessly engaged in every betterment program the jail offered. He only worked the job for a couple years and never spent any of his money, rather investing it. By 5750 his investments added up to a considerable sum, and he had taken enough time off of his second 500-year sentence to qualify for early parole. 332 years into his sentence, Lucratzi had completed half of it. With so much time having passed since the murders, public opinion was strangely on Lucratzi's side, and laws limiting the amount of time inmates could reduce their sentences (laws aimed explicitly at Lucratzi) were struck down.

In all, Lucratzi would serve 771 years in prison, being released on parole in A.Y. 6189.

Freedom

By the time of his release, Lucratzi's investments left him a very wealthy man. He was outwardly repentant, claimed to be changed, and on the whole acted perfectly normal and well adjusted. The fact that he was now 800 years old seemed not to bother him. He purchased an estate and a few businesses, intent on growing his wealth, and enjoyed the status of a minor celebrity. Renewed interest in his unnatural longevity brought in teams of scientists to study him, hoping scientific advancements would allow the mystery to finally be solved. Lucratzi entered all of them, refusing only a team of Auramancers from Arindell.

Second Murders

Lucratzi's first victim upon his release is not definitively known, but it is believed he began killing within months of receiving his freedom. He had used his lengthy time in prison to master many disciplines, and it is believed he spend significant time planning how to use wealth to get away with murder. Indeed he was never formally convicted; the first murder circumstantially linked to Lucratzi was not discovered until A.Y. 6193. In this case the deceased woman worked for one of the businesses he owned, but as she was only one of hundreds of employees, claims that Lucratzi was the killer were initially dismissed. When questioned he went on a tirade about being persecuted, that 'they' (his accusers) were only after him because of what he had done six lifetimes ago. When another body was found connected to him, he quickly retreated from public view.

In all, investigators discovered five bodies and over two dozen disappearances matching a specific pattern, but no direct evidence that could be tied to Lucratzi. Their suspicion was not enough for a search warrant.

Then, in A.Y. 6196, the body of a lance corporal in the Crimson Blade was found murdered. Though the young woman did not fit the profile for the other murders, the ongoing concerns over Lucratzi was enough to get the Military Police arm of the Crimson Blade involved. Under Gudersnipe Foundation law, the MPs had everything they needed for a very wide-reaching search warrant, and descended upon Lucratzi's estate.

The Murder Castle

The manor home Lucratzi lived had been extensively modified, including, very literally, dungeons. He had secret passages and a crematorium, torture chambers, and a wide array of "ingenious contraptions". Two live victims and three additional bodies were found upon the search of the home. No further doubt of Lucratzi's guilt could exist.