I know I spent far too much time wearing spandex and fishnet stockings in sleazy nightclubs on the west end but I digress. Our mysterious benefactor has had many hits to his 'REWARD' page and wants to remind all interested parties to check in for the latest prize update. Also, thanks to blogger Keith S. in Hudson, Ohio, we've unearthed a compelling piece of evidence. Keith took Bug's expert opinion to heart and suggested we look into the areas where the beech blight aphid infestation was concentrated.  He thought perhaps the locations might lead back to one our suspects and he was right!

It turns out the beech trees that cover the grounds of the VA hospital were inundated with the pesky critters, and that Nestor Pope, convicted sex offender, had been working on those very grounds at the time of Beacon Hill Murders. Nestor had been part of a VA vocational training program in horticulture but dropped out after two sessions.

Nestor denies withholding this information in his original interview. He claims he 'forgot' to mention it because it didn't seem important -- after all, his enrollment in the program was brief. Brief, but not insignificant, it seems. The Boston PD acquired the date and times of his visits to the VA grounds and it appears his final visit was less than fourteen hours before the discovery of Clotilde Eames' body. Was it pure coincidence the two aphids found in her hair were of the same species infesting the VA grounds? Or did Nestor Pope unwittingly carry them to the crime scene, leaving them behind like a trail of bread crumbs? Needless to say, the Boston PD will be keeping a very close eye on Mr. Nestor Pope