Forensic M.E. Protocol: All Case 6 Hidden Evidence Locations Found

The six crucial Forensic M.E. Protocol Case 6 hidden evidence locations are the Modified Chisel, Latent Footprints, Coded Ledger, Discarded Clay Mixture, the cut Negative Strip, and the Chemically-Altered Photograph. Finding all of them is the only way to unlock the "True Culprit" ending and its associated achievement. Missing even one will lead you to accuse the wrong person and lock you into a lesser outcome for the case known as "The Silent Sculptor."

This guide breaks down the precise location of every hidden item, the tools you'll need, and the conclusions they unlock. We'll cover the main floor, the basement workshop, and the secret darkroom to ensure you build an airtight case against the real killer.

01

Before You Begin: Essential Gear for Case 6tag

Unlike earlier cases, The Silent Sculptor demands you arrive with a fully upgraded toolkit. You cannot find all the evidence without three specific pieces of equipment. If you don't have these, you may need to revisit previous cases or craft the necessary upgrades.

• Upgraded Spectral Analyzer: Your standard-issue analyzer won't cut it. You need the upgrade that adds a high-intensity ultraviolet (UV) function, which functions as a blacklight. This is essential for discovering clues hidden with fluorescent chemical traces.
• Chemical Reagent Kit: This kit is used to reveal latent evidence, primarily fingerprints and footprints on surfaces that have been wiped clean. In this case, it's the only way to uncover tracks left by the killer.
• Magnifying Loupe: While a basic tool, it's critical for examining fine details on some of the smaller evidence pieces you'll discover. It allows you to find micro-inscriptions and material imperfections that your naked eye would miss.

Make sure you have these three tools equipped before entering the crime scene at Elias Thorne's studio. Without them, at least two of the hidden evidence pieces will be impossible to acquire.

02

The Sculptor's Studio: Main Floor Evidencetag

The initial sweep of the main studio floor will yield the obvious clues, but the first two pieces of hidden evidence require a more hands-on approach. They establish that the crime scene was manipulated and that a second person was present.

Hidden Evidence #1: The Modified Chiseltag

This is often the first hidden item players miss. To the left of the large, unfinished marble statue in the center of the room is a large brick fireplace. The police report mentions it's unused and cold.

1. Approach the Fireplace: Face the fireplace directly.
2. Scan the Bricks: Look closely at the brickwork on the right-hand side, about waist-high. Your reticle will highlight one specific brick that looks slightly discolored and has faint scratch marks around its edge.
3. Interact to Remove: Interact with the loose brick to pull it out, revealing a small cavity.
4. Collect the Chisel: Inside the cavity is a small, specialized chisel.

Upon analysis back at the lab, you'll find that the chisel's tip is coated in a unique chemical accelerant, the same type used to destroy other evidence at the scene. It also has a small, almost invisible manufacturer's mark that doesn't match the rest of victim Elias Thorne's toolset.

Hidden Evidence #2: Latent Footprints Under the Rugtag

In the center of the studio, near the main workbench, is a large, ornate rug. The initial forensic sweep notes some smudging on the rug itself, but the real clue is underneath.

1. Locate the Rug: Find the large Persian-style rug between the workbench and the entrance.
2. Lift the Corner: Interact with the corner of the rug closest to the workbench. Your character will lift it, exposing the wooden floorboards beneath.
3. Apply Reagents: Equip your Chemical Reagent Kit and apply it to the exposed floorboards.
4. Analyze the Prints: A set of faint footprints will appear. Scan them to collect the evidence.

These footprints are smaller than the victim's and belong to a different brand of shoe than the ones found at the scene. This is the first definitive proof that a second individual was present and actively tried to cover their tracks.

03

The Basement Workshop: Uncovering Deeper Secretstag

The basement is darker and more cluttered, making it easy to miss interactive objects that aren't obviously containers. The two pieces of evidence down here are cleverly concealed within the workshop's regular equipment, revealing the victim's secret dealings.

Hidden Evidence #3: The Coded Ledgertag

This is not in a box or a safe, but hidden in plain sight. In the far corner of the basement is a collection of finished and unfinished abstract sculptures on pedestals. You are looking for a specific medium-sized, cubical marble sculpture.

1. Find the Sculpture Collection: Head to the back-left corner of the basement.
2. Identify the Correct Sculpture: Look for a solid, white marble cube sitting on a black pedestal. It's the least ornate of the bunch.
3. Interact with the Base: Move your cursor over the base of the sculpture itself, not the pedestal. The interaction prompt will appear. Your character will note that it sounds hollow.
4. Open the Compartment: A second interaction will open a hidden compartment in the sculpture's base, revealing a small black ledger.

This ledger is written in a simple substitution cipher. Analyzing it reveals Thorne's secret financial dealings, showing large, recurring payments to an unknown entity. This provides a powerful financial motive and points the investigation away from simple artistic rivalry.

Hidden Evidence #4: The Discarded Clay Mixturetag

Near the large utility sink against the wall, you'll find the next piece of evidence. The sink itself is filled with murky water and clay residue.

1. Approach the Utility Sink: Locate the large concrete sink used for washing tools.
2. Examine the Drain: Focus on the sink's drain. Your character will comment that it seems clogged.
3. Use the Forensic Sampler: Interact with the drain to use your sampler tool, which will extract a sample from the P-trap beneath.
4. Collect the Sample: You'll acquire a sample labeled "Anomalous Clay Mixture."

Back at the lab, analysis shows this clay contains a non-standard, industrial-grade binding agent not found in any of Thorne's other supplies. Cross-referencing this agent with supplier databases will link it to a specific chemical company, opening up a new lead that implicates the true killer, who has a background in industrial chemistry.

04

The Secret Darkroom: The Final Piecestag

The final two pieces of evidence are located in a secret darkroom, the entrance to which is hidden behind a large landscape painting on the main floor. Interacting with the bottom-right corner of the painting frame will reveal the hidden doorway and the stairs leading down.

Hidden Evidence #5: The Negative Strip with a Missing Frametag

Inside the darkroom, you'll see several strips of film hanging from a drying line. One of them is the key.

1. Find the Drying Line: It's stretched across the back of the small room.
2. Inspect the Film Strips: Examine the strips of black-and-white negatives. One strip will have a frame that was clearly and precisely cut out with a sharp blade.
3. Use the Spectral Analyzer: Equip your upgraded analyzer and shine the UV light on the empty plastic clip where the missing negative should be.
4. Scan the Residue: A faint fluorescent residue will glow under the UV light. Scan it.

This residue matches the chemical accelerant found on the Modified Chisel from the fireplace. This proves that the person who hid the chisel is the same person who removed a critical piece of photographic evidence from this room.

Hidden Evidence #6: The Chemically-Altered Photographtag

This is the final, case-breaking piece of evidence. On a table under the enlarger, there is a developing tray containing what appears to be a completely blank, overexposed sheet of photographic paper.

1. Locate the Developing Tray: Find the tray with the single sheet of white paper soaking in fluid.
2. Analyze the Paper: Your initial scan will show nothing but chemical bleach.
3. Apply the Correct Reagent: This is the trick. Open your Chemical Reagent Kit. Instead of the standard luminol, you must select "Reagent C7" from your inventory and apply it to the photograph.
4. Reveal the Image: The reagent will reverse the bleaching process, and an image will slowly resolve on the paper. Scan it to collect the final evidence.

The revealed photograph shows Elias Thorne shaking hands with his quiet apprentice, Clara, who you previously cleared. In the background of the photo is the same industrial chemical plant linked to the binding agent in the clay. This photograph establishes the connection and motive, proving Clara was his silent partner in the illegal dealings and killed him to take over.

05

What Happens If You Miss This Evidence?tag

The conclusion of Case 6 hinges entirely on whether you found all six hidden items. The game features two distinct outcomes based on your level of thoroughness.

Missing even one item, such as the ledger or the photograph, makes it impossible to build a case against Clara. The game will railroad you into accusing Marcus, resulting in a less satisfying conclusion and a lower case rating.

06

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)tag

• Where is the blacklight in Case 6? The blacklight isn't a separate item. It's the secondary function of the Upgraded Spectral Analyzer, which you should have acquired by upgrading your gear after Case 4. If you don't have it, you can't complete this case perfectly.

• I can't find the ledger in the basement. Is it a bug? No, it's not a bug. The Coded Ledger is not in a standard container like a crate or locker. You must interact directly with the base of a specific, plain-looking marble cube sculpture in the back corner of the workshop to find its hidden compartment.

• How many hidden evidence pieces are in Case 6? There are exactly six pieces of hidden evidence required for the true ending: the chisel, the footprints, the ledger, the clay mixture, the cut negative, and the altered photograph.

• Do you need all hidden evidence for the achievement? Yes. The "Master Detective" achievement for Case 6 will only unlock if you have collected all six hidden evidence items and successfully accused Clara Vale as the killer.

07

The Final Verdicttag

Case 6 of FORENSIC - M.E. Protocol is a turning point in the game, shifting from obvious clues to deeply concealed, multi-step environmental puzzles. Success is not just about scanning everything in sight, but about thinking like a true investigator—looking for inconsistencies, using your tools creatively, and understanding that some evidence is hidden with deliberate intent. Finding these six items is the ultimate test of your forensic skills and the only path to serving true justice for Elias Thorne.