Murder Mystery is a side mission in the enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto V. The mission can only be completed by Michael, and until 2021, was exclusive to returning players who had previously played the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions of GTA V. Unlike the other missions added for returning players, this mission has no icon to unlock on the Rockstar Games Social Club.
Description[]
The mystery revolves around a murder connected to the film industry. Unlike other side missions in the game, Michael does not receive any introductory message informing him about the mission.
Objectives[]
First Clue[]
Michael must locate four different cryptic messages carved on the walls of various buildings in Los Santos. Once the player approaches the message, a background sound will indicate that the message has been discovered.
Show Clues (spoiler)
- The first message is located close to the pool at the Gentry Manor Hotel. It reads "Old Fred acts nice, but it ain't so!".
- The second message is located at the Galileo Observatory in Vinewood Hills. It reads "David Richards knows".
- The third message is located at the City Hall in Alta. It reads "Fred makes cartoons for kids, funny thing considering what he hid".
- The fourth and final message is located in next to the Oriental Theater in Downtown Vinewood. It reads "Ain't no mystery. They drowned her because of what she knew!".
After locating all four messages, further instructions point to the next two clues:
- "Track down the sunken body off the west coast".
- "Find a damning letter on a desk of a friend".
Second Clue[]
Michael needs to find the sunken body first.
Show Clues (spoiler)
The body of a woman, who has her hands tied behind her back, a bag over her head and her feet in a concrete block, can be found just off the coast by Fort Zancudo, near the bow of a sunken Olifantus. Use either the Submersible, the Kraken, or a Scuba Suit.
Third Clue[]
Whilst the four messages and the body can be discovered at any time, the player can only continue investigating the mystery after completing Meltdown, as Michael needs to access Solomon Richards' office at Richards Majestic to read the letter on his desk.
The studio can only be accessed between 21:00 and 06:00, although the yellow access corona will be visible at all times. If the player approaches during the day, they will be told that Solomon's office is busy, and to come back later. While Michael is in the office, character switching is disabled and time will be frozen until he exits.
Show Clues (spoiler)
The letter, dated August 14, 1949, is addressed to David Richards, and was written by Fred Quincy, founder of the Fred's Pictures film studio. In the letter, Quincy confesses to the murder of an associate named Isaac. Quincy wanted Isaac to produce a cartoon film called "Bip the Dog", while Isaac wanted to make a live-action film with Abe Schwartzman for a different studio. Because of this, Quincy killed Isaac and hid his body in a mine in the hills. The letter also implies that the sunken body is that of Quincy's secretary, who was killed by Quincy after she threatened to blackmail him.
Solving the Clues[]
Michael is now free to locate the murder victim.
Show Solution (spoiler)
There is an abandoned mine in Great Chaparral with a boarded up door. Michael needs to destroy the door (a heavy weapon or explosive is required). Isaac's body can be found further inside the shaft. Once the player finds his body, the mystery is solved. Isaac will then be added as a cellphone contact for all three protagonists to enable and disable the reward filters.
Reward[]
Once the mystery has been solved, two noir filters for the Snapmatic will be added to each protagonist's phone. The same filters can also be applied as a gameplay overlay. To do so, the player must activate them by either revisiting Isaac's body or dialing his contact on their cellphone.
