The Ultimate Deception

On January 2nd, two full days after the murder, Arjun took his deception to a level rarely

seen in criminal history. He walked into the Howard County Police Department.

He stood before officers and filed a missing person's report for Nikitha. He looked them in

the eye and told them he was worried about her. He claimed he hadn't seen her since New

Year's Eve and was concerned for her safety. This was a move designed to buy

him time. It was a psychological shield. By positioning himself as the one who reported

her missing, he hoped to redirect suspicion away from himself. He told those around

him he had an urgent hand injury and needed to return to India for medical treatment.