The Hat Box Murders

The Hat Box Murders
The Pauls investigating the incident
Location	Hattin, Texas
Date	Late 2000s/Early 2010s - August 2012
Perpetrator(s)	Chris Walker
Deaths	4
Outcome	Chris Walker is incarcerated at Mount Massive Asylum Omar Abdul Malik is wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for life after being framed by Murkoff's mitigation officers

The Hat Box Murders were a series of murders that occurred somewhere between the late 2000s and early 2010s in Hattin, Texas. The homicides were carried out by Chris Walker, a psychologically scarred war veteran who was indirectly subjected to Murkoff's illegal experiments. In order to hide their involvement from the public and law enforcement, the company had two of their mitigation officers plant evidence at Omar Abdul Malik's apartment, framing him for the incident which led to his lifelong incarceration.

Background

Two years prior to the event, Murkoff Corporation bought Spindletop Psychotherapy Clinic as part of Jeremy Blaire's "Research Through Charity" initiative. The company had a government contract to help returning war veterans cope with PTSD. However, Murkoff's sole goal was to conduct illegal experiments on patients within their jurisdiction. Sometime after, Chris Walker, a discharged U.S. Military Police Officer with declining mental health, was hired at the hospital by Murkoff as a security guard where he was assigned to record and monitor the doctors' therapy sessions with their patients without their knowledge.

This indirect exposure only deteriorated Chris' mental stability. Walker's previous occupation with security, which revolved around scanning hands and retinas, was amplified to a psychotic level to the point where he felt the need to collect heads and other body parts.

The Murders

The first three three victims, John Bowers, Priscilla Clarke and Martin Bellmont, were all patients at the Clinic. All three murders occurred separately from one another. Walker dismembered each body and stuffed their severed heads inside coolers that he would keep at his residence.

As the killings started to garner attention, Murkoff sent two of their mitigation officers, Paul Marion and Pauline Glick, to investigate the incident and prevent further financial losses. The two met up with Doctor Claymore, the clinic's psychotherapist who was not under Murkoff's influence and had no interest in cooperating with the two agents without a warrant. After being stonewalled by Claymore, the two head over to the surveillance room to review their sessions. One of the guards directs them to Chris "Strongfat" Walker who showcases the footage to the Pauls of the recently deceased victims. As Paul wonders if there were any violent incidents in the past, Walker pulls up a recording of Omar Abdul Malik which shows him attacking Claymore during one of their sessions.

While the two reimburse one of the victim's widows in order to avoid a million dollar lawsuit, Paul notices that one of the woman's children had drawn a family picture in which the child's late father's represented as a blood-stained Apkallu, ancient Mesopotamian demigods whose sculptures were propped in Claymore's office. Upon returning, they find Claymore's mangled, decapitated corpse in his workplace and a destroyed surveillance system. As the killer's motivation was the culmination of all sessions, the two conclude that the perpetrator is Chris Walker, as he was the only other person who heard everything the patients said.

The two break into Chris' house and discover three coolers, each stacked with one of the victim's heads and a fourth empty one reserved for Claymore. As Pauline calls for their security team, Walker returns home shortly after only to discover the Pauls lurking through his belongings. Glick pulls a gun on him, but gets quickly intercepted and thrown against a wall. As Walker proceeds to strangle Paul, Glick fires a round through the enraged man's jawline. This only infuriates Walker, as he knocks her through a window before Marion manages to get to his gun and fire off two shots. Chris, still standing, tackles Paul to the ground, exclaiming "little pig", but before he can get to Marion, Pauline starts up the car and crashes into him.

Aftermath

Once Chris was incapacitated, the Pauls cover up the crime and arrange for Walker to be transferred over to the Mount Massive Asylum. They then sort Claymore's head into the final cooler and place all four of them in Omar's apartment. Malik is framed for the murders and is sentenced to life in a supermax prison. Sometime later, whilst confessing his crimes to a state officer, Paul Marion describes their efforts as "flimsy, evidence-wise", but notes that Omar's "name and skin color did the heavy lifting".