By: Nic Benke

An unknown number of culprits dropped whole fishes in at least five different locations near Lexington, on the night of Aug. 21. This vandalism shocked affected families the following morning and caused two calls to the Lexington Police Department.

Once I saw the confused graduates posting their stories to social media, I put on my thinking cap. I leapt from my sweet summer trance and assumed the role of the journalistic detective. Heart thumping, legs wobbling, brain babbling, I stumbled ’round with a pen, notebook, and borrowed camera.

All locations of the fish are closely connected to recently graduated RCHS students, athletes, and artists. Approximately five families have either informed the police, or told human beings about receiving whole raw fish, on their doorsteps, mailboxes, and even cars..

The first stage of my investigation had begun.

Spencer Hough (2016) is a former Prowler reporter whose mother found a fish in the family’s home mailbox. Hough admittedly became perplexed and irritated.

“I won’t sugarcoat it, I was [upset],” said Hough.

Once such strong emotions entered the picture, I was compelled to find any connections, and fast.

Perry Hardin is a respected mathematics teacher at RCHS. Hardin’s curriculum emphasizes derivation of proofs and rational dissection of problems. I attend a class of Hardin’s each school day and listen to his lessons.

“It is nearly impossible to get the wrong answer twice by working a problem two ways,” said Hardin.

Hardin’s statement is poignant to this investigation. We must work this case two separate ways and hope for an agreement between the solutions.

Because the suspect had so much knowledge of the locations and was able to avoid detection, he or she most likely has a relationship to the victimized graduates. The affected include the Dearing, Williams, Orrison, Hough, and Harbor families.

“It’s a black tilapia,” said fellow fish victim and graduate Thomas Harbor.

Harbor was referring to the fish left on the doormat of Michael Dearing’s parents’ property.

Harbor, who also found a fish on the hood of his own car, has experienced the rivers, seas, and lakes. Through this, he has gained an intimate knowledge of marine life.

The source of the whole black tilapia still remains unknown. Should the source be found, investigations would have a clearer perception of the perpetrator’s identity. Neither Lexington’s local Wal-Mart nor Kroger sell whole fish, according to the respective managers of each seafood department. The supply most likely originated from a restaurant in the town, or from someone’s own fishing adventures.

The most important facet of the crime may elude this detective now, but the case is not yet lost. I sought the past seniors.

A late night, too many rising college freshmen, and a cup of coffee enlightened me little regarding the situation. I, as a journalistic detective, can only assume a confederacy of graduates formed in order to protect the anonymity of this perpetrator. The table exchanged unbased allegations which left me with more questions than answers.

The motives of the fish flinger(s) remain unknown. This reporter may only speculate, but the perpetrator may have wanted a memorable way to say goodbye to Rockbridge and his or her friends. He, she, or they may have been attempting to copy actions of the “Canadian Mafia” or those described in the teen novel Paper Towns.

A horrified Rosie Dixon (2016) RCHS, was at the Lexington Waffle House. She sat across from a college-bound couple and adjacent to me.

Dixon said, “There is no right or wrong, only the fact that fish are in mailboxes and on door steps.”

Hough said, “The world needs to forgive, and so do I.”