# Chalk outline around the body

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chalk-outline-around-the-body/62194>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 16, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chalk-outline-around-the-body/62194 "2001-04-16T19:52:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jack\_Hannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jack\_Hannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Hannon)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chalk-outline-around-the-body/62194/1 "2001-04-16T19:52:06Z")

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Many years ago, a body was dumped in the parking lot of the Apartment complex my father lived in. Whatever teh results of the investigation, there was a clear outline left in classic TV fashion.

For years afterwards, nobody would ever park in the body spot…

Jack

Link to Cecil’s handiwork:

[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010413.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010413.html)

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2001, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chalk-outline-around-the-body/62194/2 "2001-04-17T12:22:38Z")

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There was a murder in a parking lot in New Jersey, and when I just happened to be there the next day, there was a chalk outline. Though it could have been done after the investigation by someone with a warped sense of humor.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chalk-outline-around-the-body/62194/3 "2001-04-18T15:07:01Z")

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Did anyone else notice that Cecil may have given out a little too much personal information? If Allen Jaglowski was Cecil’s high school classmate, all we have to do is dig up a copy of Det. Jaglowski’s old high school yearbook, and maybe–just maybe–there will be a picture of **Cecil Adams** in there, unless Cecil has sent his evil minions to excise all such pictures from all known copies of said book, which is certainly a possibility. If Cecil is clever enough, he may even have arranged to replace the pictures of himself with pictures of **Ed Zotti**.

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2001, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chalk-outline-around-the-body/62194/4 "2001-04-18T22:30:19Z")

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bibliophage, how do you know that Cecil Adams is male?  
I remember references to a Mrs. Adams, but Cecil could be a lesbian in a monogamous relationship. I suppose I should know this, but I can’t remember any language proving decisively that Cecil Adams is a man.

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2001, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chalk-outline-around-the-body/62194/5 "2001-04-18T22:32:53Z")

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Oops, strike my last comment. I found some “he’s” and “himself’s” in references to Mr. Adams.

How about this - how do we know that Cecil A. was male in high school?