When the lock clicked shut and the yellow tape was hung across the door, the scene was supposed to be preserved—untouched. No one in or out. A double homicide, tightly managed. Everything cataloged. Everything still.
Until the first message appeared.
“I KNOW WHAT YOU DID.”
Written in the bathroom mirror. From the inside.
With no sign of forced entry. And no prints.
This is the story of a crime scene that wouldn't stay quiet—and the words that kept appearing long after the case was closed.
🕯️ The Morning After the Murder
On May 3, 2016, Thomas and Leigh Ryker were found stabbed to death in their upscale suburban home in Winchester, Indiana. The bodies were discovered by a coworker who came by to check on Thomas after he missed an early meeting.
Timeline:
7:12 AM: 911 call placed
7:31 AM: First responders arrive
8:08 AM: House is sealed, evidence collected
The mirror was clean.
🧍 The First Message
On May 5th, a second forensic sweep was conducted. Investigators found the following written in condensation on the bathroom mirror:
“I KNOW WHAT YOU DID.”
There had been no heat, no running water, and the HVAC system was off. No fog. No moisture. Yet the message appeared fresh, like it had just been written with a finger.
Tests revealed no oil, no residue. No human skin cells.
The mirror was removed and sent to a lab.
🧪 The Mirror That Wouldn’t Stop Talking
Despite being stored in a controlled environment, the mirror continued to change. Between May 6 and June 2, technicians reported a total of six distinct messages, each appearing days apart, always between 3:00 and 3:15 AM.
Messages included:
“SHE TRIED TO RUN.”
“YOU LOCKED THE DOOR.”
“I SAW THE RED ROOM.”
“ASK THE CHILD.”
One message simply read: “7E”—matching a smudged label found on a file folder in a closed box at the crime scene.
👁️ Surveillance Footage and the Glitch
On June 10, the mirror was moved to a secure facility under 24/7 video monitoring.
At 3:11 AM, the footage showed the mirror undisturbed.
But at 3:13, the words “HE’S NOT DONE” were visible.
Reviewing frame by frame revealed a 0.2-second burst of distortion—a silhouette reflected in the glass, facing away.
🧩 The Unexplained Child Connection
“ASK THE CHILD.”
The Rykers had no children. But a neighbor reported seeing a girl—“maybe 8 or 9”—standing in the upstairs hallway the night before the murders.
No child was found. No prints. No signs of anyone small enough to hide.
A crayon was later discovered behind a baseboard near the bathroom. Purple. Broken in half.
It was labeled: CLAIRE
📁 The Case File That Changed Hands
In 2018, an anonymous tip led to a storage unit rented by Thomas Ryker under a false name. Inside:
Dozens of VHS tapes
A box of stained children’s clothing
A typewritten confession, unsigned, dated 2012
It referenced a girl named Claire. And the phrase: “She never left the mirror.”
The entire case file was quietly transferred to federal authorities. The local PD now claims no record of the mirror or any post-seal messages.
The house was demolished in 2020.
