Here's presenting all the alternative theories. As promised, these are completely anonymous, however, members are welcome to announce their own entries if they so wish.
Entry 1
So it's like that few years back Mr. Emil fought a case against a boy who was involved in murder case and who had affair with his boss's wife. Boss wife and that boy had killed the boss. Emil won that case and that boy got his punishment.
Now the mother of that boy is back and she is none other than Mrs. Hudson. She came to took revenge of his son's death from Mr. Emil. She believed that his son was innocent. She is a widow. She shifted near Emil house and in short time span she had become like great friends with Mrs Emma and Mr. Emil. Emma used to trust her a lot.
One day Mrs. Hudson went to mr. Emil's house. She asked about Mrs. Emma. Mr emil informed her that Emma is not at home infact she went out of city. Mrs. Hudson asked for sugar from mr. Emil. And said that she will take it by her own self. And offered him a cup of tea. He accepted the offer and went to his study room. After sometime, with the help of her watchman Mrs. Hudson entered in Mr. Emil's study and first attacked Mr. Emil and made him Unconscious than they opened his safe from the key she got from his shoes (she knew about that key because she observed that several time). Now they (Hudson and her watchman) got Emil's gun and killed him by using that gun they used gloves so that their fingerprints could not come over the gun and than they put gun in his(Mr. Emil) hands so everyone consider it as suicide as now gun had fingerprints of Mr. Emil only.
Now she is consoling Mrs. Emma so that no one would doubt on her.
Entry 2
Inspector Lestrade is the killer. Lestrade and Emma are siblings. Actually Emil was in extra-marital relationship. That's why Emma was emotional while mentioning this to Holmes. Emma told this to Lestrade. So Lestrade got angry and he killed Emil. In that, his blood splattered on the book. He is a policemen so finding and using another gun which outside his service gun was easy for him. He removed the shoe because shoe contained sensitive information about Emil's girlfriend and he wanted to destroy that proof. But he didn't get enough time to put the shoe back on as Emil called the police station before dying. That's why he couldn't burn the documents fully which were the love letters between Emil & his girlfriend. Lestrade advised Emma to go to the Holmes because he wanted a revenge on Dr. Watson. He knew Holmes will be busy in another case and can't do fieldwork. He wanted this revenge because he hated how Holmes and Watson always made him look like a fool.
Entry 3
Emma was bored of living under her husband’s rule, Emil liked being the breadwinner and often made Emma feel lesser than herself that she had been planning to leave him for awhile . But she knew if she divorced him then he will not be fair with her and she will be left destitute.
So she had been slowly stealing from Emil without his knowledge and had made a copy of his key to the study's safe to steal anything Valuable when opportunity arises. And on the night of the Murder, they had a fight again and Emil yet again put her down in front of his client and treated her as his servant than wife, that she was upset enough to use the knowledge she learnt during overhearing Emil and his client meeting.
His client had just paid Emil a substantial fees in cash and Emma knew it was in the safe until Monday, which was when Emil will deposit it in the bank.
So with that, she had planned to steal the cash and make it look like a Robber got inside the house. And knowing her husband will get upset about the cash was just an added bonus . And with that amount her plans to divorce him will come to fruition much sooner as well
Emil retired to bed early that day unlike most day and when he sleeps nothing disturbs him either , which gave her the perfect opportunity the very same night, still she waited another hour or so ,just to be sure , doing house chores and then went to his study to steal the cash and make it look like a robber had broken in last night.
Emma knew the house, like the back of her hand , so she didn't even switch on the light and worked in the dark not to attract attention, when the door to Emil's study opened and he walked inside and sat on his chair . Emma was frozen into silence in shock.
Emma knew the moment he turns the desk lamp on his table, She would be found out with her hands in the safe, and it was when her hand accidentally found the gun in the safe and she used it to shoot him in fear of discovery. And then set the stage as a robbery gone wrong, and searched the safe for more valuables that need to be stolen for it look like a robbery. When she found a file titled Emma, she opened it to find that Emil was filling for divorce himself and he had been collecting information he can use against her, in another moment of Panic, she burnt them because she didn't want the documents to make her a prime suspect.
She made certain to hide the money she stole from the safe. That will ensure it wasn’t found by the detectives and found that Emil’s death could leave her with all his wealth as well, which only made her happy as she played the grieving wife and called the police.
But the Police had mistook the Crime Scene, she set as Suicide than Robbery gone Wrong. And she panicked again, because if the case was considered Suicide instead of Murder, than Emma will miss out on the Life Insurance, she will gain from Emil’s death. She knew it too be a substantial amount as Emil was a well known Criminal Lawyer, he had always prepared for the worst case scenario’s.
And in her greed to get the Insurance as well, she went to Sherlock and played the grieving widow, thinking he will read her clues right and think of it as Robbery than Suicide not realizing it will paint a target on her back instead
Entry 4
Here's my alternative ending of the case. Emil did plan to commit suicide and did all kinds of arrangements like putting his one shoe far away in the room, keeping john's bloodstained diary on the table etc. to trap Emma and John but actually he was murdered and the murderer is none other than Jimmy's boyfriend. Lemme give this man a name Sam.
So Sam and Jimmy were having an affair with each other. Both Sam and Jimmy are terrorists too who were planning to kill the town mayor. But then Jimmy's parents came to know about Jimmy's relationship with Sam and also about their murder plans so Jimmy killed his parents. The day he killed his parents there was a bitter argument between him and Sam due to money issues and Jimmy decided to get rid of Sam so he lied to the police that Sam killed his parents and also hired Emil to fight his case as he was one of the best criminal lawyers of the town but soon Emil started suspecting Jimmy to be hiding something and got to know the entire truth about Jimmy being a terrorist and him killing his own parents. Emil caught hold of some proofs against Jimmy. Now Jimmy started using Sam again. He told Sam to kill Emil and get the proofs about him. He promised Sam that they will flee from the town with all the money of his parents and start a new life in a new city.
Sam got fooled and started keeping an eye on Emil's activities. He came to know everything about Emil and also observed how Emil was doing all the stuff to trap Emma and John. Sam thought this is the perfect opportunity to kill Emil.
He sneaked into the house from the window of a room besides Emil's study room. He entered Emil's room and before Emil could do anything shot him to death with his own gun in such a way that the police will think that Emil committed suicide. Before Emma, who was upstairs and sleeping when she heard the gunshot and could come downstairs, Sam immediately removed a bullet from Emil's gun, placed it on the table and ran to the other room and got out of it.
Entry 5
Emma didn't know that Emil had another guest that day. Emma and Emil had fought the previous day, so Emma was avoiding Emil and therefore, wasn't aware that Jimmy's friend had arrived. It was Jimmy friend who killed Emil. Emil had documents that could prove Jimmy guilty of a major crime and Jimmy innocent, so Jimmy's friend was there just to steal the docs and threaten Emil for a good measure. However, Emil walked in on Jimmy breaking into his office and they had a scuffle which lead to Jimmy's friend injuring himself. Out of rage, he shot Emil and then went on to search for the documents. The scuffle had caused Emil to drop off his shoe and Jimmy's friend found the key and the documents and burnt away the documents. This caused the fire alarm to go off, so he ran away as he had entered (the door). In the haste of the documents and the fire alarm, he forgot all about the gun and the blood.
Entry 6
So, my guess is since Emil was suspicious of his clients involvement in murder, he and his friend with criminal background hatched a plan to get rid of Emil.
Client came to meet Emil and met Emma on the way just as his friend sneaked into the house thru the open balcony door near the office. Client tried to dissuade Emil from pursuing the case against him but Emil refused to budge.
Client threatened Emil of dire consequences and they had a scuffle due to which Emil shoe fell and client tore it to find key to safe. Emil rushed to get his gun but the client friend confronted Emil and meanwhile Client found the evidence from safe and Emil had a scuffle with client friend due to which he was injured and his blood fell on the floor. Client meanwhile started to burn the evidence which Emil tried to stop but clients injured friend hit Emil with the book and he had a brain haemorage. The client called hospital to inform an injury and they took his friend and left a dead Emil on the chair.
Entry 7
Emil's client killed him.
Emil had an affair with a girl which happen to be Emil's rival's sister. He refused to take her responsibility so he came to talk to him abt it. Both got into fight due to which Rival got injured and left frm there. Then Emil's client came there nd saw Emil resting on his chair nd killed him coz he got to know that Emil know him being the murderer of the case he is fighting nd staged the scene as robbery.
Entry 8
Emil Thatcher was the murderer, he killed himself as he committed infidelity and wanted to save his face before his wife finds out and submits those documents ( proof of his affair ) to court and demand alimony from him. As a lawyer known to fight murder cases mostly involving Extra martial affairs , he wanted to save himself from shame. He died because of his guilt and pride.
Entry 9
Emil is not dead!! He has played one of his master tricks to astonish Sherlock and everyone around. If you read the story it starts with Sherlock referring to someone who is known for their unique ways to do things. It was none other than Emil. He has sent that stick to Holmes for a reason as an old proverb "Every stick has two ends" and if you hold one end of the stick you will overlook the other end (Minionite hinted about it in Rebus rotund with the stick puzzle smiley2, observe as Sherlock said from the beginning).
As Emil is a criminal lawyer and a very famous one among elites, they have known each other for long time and Sherlock understood that Emil was onto something again. In reality Emil has planned all of this and has taken a newly experimented drug which sends a person in a state of catalepsy. In this condition a person appears dead for some time and even First Responders/Investigators/Doctors initial diagnosis is that person is dead.
Emil knew about Emma-John cheating escapades however he didn’t have substantial evidence to prove in the court of law. He devised a master plan to trump Emma-John with his death, as in a hurry they will do something reckless and get caught. Also, Emil has already informed Sherlock to pretend not knowing Emma when she come to visit him.
Emma was right when she mentioned that Emil was disturbed from last couple of days but she had no idea what he was planning, on the last day despite his biggest rival visiting him, despite his client visiting him, despite Emma-Emil fight the reason he was in a good mood was because he got the positive result from his scientist friends (testing catalepsy drug) to go ahead with his plan.
Entry 10
The murderer is the cobbler (name Jason) who was fitting false bottoms in Emil’s shoes to keep the key hidden.
The motive:
Whenever Emil bought new shoes, Jason was visiting Emil to fit false bottoms on his shoes.
During one of those visits, Jason met Emma and he turned out to be her childhood boyfriend who had to go away from the town with his parents, when Jason and Emma were still young.
They rekindled their old love during Jason's later visits.
There is already trouble in the paradise (Emma's fight with Emil) and her first love was so overpowering that she planned to kill Emil with the help of Jason and planted enough evidence to prove John (Emil's biggest rival) killed Emil.
Entry 11
To destroy the evidences that Emil had against Jimmy.
Emil was fighting a murder case for Jimmy, but Jimmy was withholding the entire truth from Emil. In fact, Jimmy had indeed committed the murder, and he was trying to frame someone else for the crime. But Emil had come across valid evidences against Jimmy. When Jimmy came to know of these evidences, he convinced his friend (who supported Jimmy's unlawful activities) to become his ally. Both of them visited Emil's office at night and murdered Emil. Then they hunted for the evidences that Emil had got and burned them in the waste paper basket. They planted the gun at the site to make it look like a suicide.
Entry 12
Emma is the killer. it must be related to her EMA. emil ko pata chala hoga issliye....
from the very first itself she was pointing her fingers to the latest client. she said emil was disturbed due to the case
also, she mentioned about the rival.
she was acting innocent said they had a fight.
she obviously lied about the gun.
there was something in the shoe.. it could have known by none other than emma..
Entry 13
Emma went shopping that day and hence Emil called in Sherlock Holmes for the case. Though Sherlock was least bothered he thought why not as he was bored shooting his walls.
Then he meets up with Emil in the latter's study room where Emil talks about how he needs proof for Emma's cheating with John and also how to prove Jimmy being a terrorist.
Sherlock who was already unbothered became even bored with Emil and his talks. When his eyes fell on Emil's gun and the wall infront of him. Out of boredom Sherlock takes Emil's gun and shoots the walls and Emil being who he is tunes out Sherlock so he hardly hears him shooting the wall near which he was walking. And he suddenly turns only to come on Sherlock's radar and bam Sherlock shoots him thinking it the wall.
After a few moments of just the bullets firing Sherlock looks up only to realise Emil is dead.
He thinks its good riddance but damn Sherlock is still bored.
Entry 14
The killer is Emil’s estranged son whom was tricked by Emma into believing his father was a sociopath who abused her mentally, physically and emotionally daily.
Emil’s son may have fired the gun but the mastermind is Emma.
Entry 15
Emma told Sherlock Emil was a Criminal Lawyer. he deals with Murder cases mostly. especially murder cases come out of Extra marital affairs. He believes that EMA involved murders not only kill a person, but also kills trust and humanity. Emil's latest murder case giving him sleepless nights. He's very disturbed with the case and suspected his client Jimmy wasn't telling him the entire truth and that he had indeed commited the murder.
Emma also said Emil was super happy the day before despite of their fight and his rivals are coming to his house the next day. He's a happy man and he never commits suicide. and he don't even have a Gun.
Emil was indeed disturbed regarding his new case/client. because it was an EMA involved murder case. Emil's client Jimmy's partner (say X) had an affair with other. murdered someone and framed Jimmy in that murder case to get rid of him. Emil was in so much pressure while going through this case as its not only disturbing his professional life but also personal life. because X's Lawyer is none other than Emil's rival John who's having an EMA with his wife Emma.
Despite of his fight with wife Emma, Emil was super happy the day before his death. because the next day his rival John and his client Jimmy are coming to his house. Emil made an action plan with Jimmy to catch Emma and John in the act. so that Emil-Emma can get divorced easily and he doesn't need to pay alimony and can get rid of her.
On the other hand, John is coming to Emil's house to discuss about 'Jimmy-X' case with Emil. John wanted to win this case at any cost to bounce back from career failure. John discussed all this with Emma. but Emma said Emil would never ever help him because of their affair. instead she suggested John to steal case related documents from Emil's safe and keep altered docs in place of original docs. so John changed his plan, and came to Emil's house at night to steal docs. while searching for case related docs, Emma and John found a Gun and some other legal docs of Emil's including his new Will and Testament in which he removed Emma's name and included his other family members names.
Emma got angry reading those papers and she asked John to kill Emil and alter his will.
Emma and John made a plan to murder Emil and frame Jimmy in this murder case who's to be coming to Emil's house the next day. with this plan, they can get rid of Emil, enjoy his property, no rival in profession and Jimmy can be proved to be a habitual offender and will lose case against 'X'.
Emma and John brought Emil who's under sleep medication to the office room. make him sit in chair and shot him with his own Gun in mouth. removed his show and keep it far away from him. spread some docs on sofa, burnt some docs, apply some blood on book to create a murder scene and they also planted fake evidences/docs in Emil's safe which can prove Jimmy a habitual offender and had differences with Emil regarding his case against X. Emma also created doubts in detectives mind regarding Jimmy's character.
After questioning all three suspects, Emil's family and based on forensic reports, Detectives ( not Sherlock) came to a conclusion that Emma and John killed Emil.
Entry 16
Emil stagged his own murder because he found out about the Extra marrital affair but then he thought if I stag my own murder than Emma and her bf will be free and take the money so he blackmailed Jimmy to kill him as emil got to know about Jimmy's past and him being gay and all so in the end Jimmy killed emil as Jimmy had no choice.
Entry 17
This theory starts with Detective Lestrade and few police officers going to John Rockfort’s place to arrests him for the murder of Emil. Surprised John swears that he does not know what they are talking about, and he has nothing to do with anybody’s death, but they take him in to process him and charge him with murder. All confused, John kept insisting he is innocent and did not kill his former partner, Emil. Lestrade assured John that they have everything they need to arrest him, his fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, and there are blood and documents that prove he stole money from Emil and was sleeping with his wife. John calls his lawyer and tells him that he needs to go talk to Emma and find out what happened exactly.
Through Emma, we got to know what really happened a few days back. (flash backs) Emma is pleading with her husband not to file for divorce and that she loves him and only had an affair because he is always busy with his work. She tells him that she stopped seeing John after discovering her husband knows they are sleeping together. The woman claims to be willing to do whatever it takes to make up for every wrong. Emil is not interested in her story and clarifies there is no way he will forgive her because she just apologized. He continued to tell her that there is no possible way they could be together after sleeping with his biggest rival, the man who stole his money and now his wife. She suggested there is a way to get back at John for all that he’s done, she suggests getting rid of him, to which Emil responds with, “It would not be the worst thing to happen,” she then proceeds to tell him about what she has in mind and asks him to lure John to his office, she will take care of the rest, Emma claims. Emil lets a moment of weakness and jealousy cloud his judgment, and he agrees. Emma then reaches out to John and tells him that her husband knows about the affair and wants a divorce; she tried everything; she cannot get Emil to change his mind. Emma informs John, Emil needs to “go” The plan is for John to call Emil to ask him to meet. She discloses that Emil is frustrated with a case he is working on, he is vulnerable right now, so it is easy to get him to agree to meet John if the idea of them working together on this case is possible.
John calls up Emil and sets up a meeting, to which Emil happily agrees. He comes to meet with Emil the following day, ready with the plan to kill him, only to find him dead; wondering what happened, he flees the scene. John tries to reach out to Emma and ask what happened, but her phone was going straight to voicemail. It turns out Emma had her own plans, and neither Emil nor John was any the wiser.
What happened is, Emma conspired with Jimmy and his current partner (Gavin) to kill Emil and frame John. She manipulated the guys into believing her husband and John are working together to send Jimmy to prison for having his parents killed. She also discloses just enough detail about Jimmy's involvement in terrorism to make them believe her. Trying to connect with them emotionally, Emma also tells them that her husband and John are bad men. She claims they abuse her and often pass her off to each other as she is an object. Tears in her eyes, she says her husband forces her to sleep with other men even though she is not interested in men. This time sobbing, she says, "I’m just like the two of you; that is why my husband hates me because he cannot accept the fact that I'm not interested in him.
With the means to commit this crime provided by Emma in hand, Jimmy and Gavin hatched a plan to kill Emil. They went to Emil's office, shot him dead with his own gun, and planted the evidence. John’s fingerprints, blood, and half-burn documents (to make it seem it is what he came to get) documents that can prove he stole from Emil and was having an affair with his wife. After they were finished the guys called up Emma to tell her the job was done.She then visited Sherlock as a grieving widow and pleaded with him to take her husband's case claiming he was a good man who did not deserve to die and Sherlock took the case.
Emma is finally happy with Emil dead and John in jail, Emil’s assets all hers, also hand in hand with her is her girlfriend, Irene Norton, who also happens to be John's wife and the mastermind behind the whole plan. It turns the two lovers planned everything together and succeeded in getting away with murder for now. Sherlock pays Emma a visit at last where he tells her that he knows she has something to do with her husband’s death but admits he has not figured out how to prove it yet. Still, he assures her that he is going to catch her and her accomplices. Irene, who was hiding, hearing everything Sherlock says, tells Emma not to worry. He got anything, and we will leave the country tonight anyways.
Entry 18
Jimmy and Emil loved each other..Jimmy had written a letter to Emil confessing he was terrorist and he killed his parents cause they didn't accept his preference.Emil was an honest man and couldn't bear that his lover jimmy would kill anyone.he already knew about his wife's affair with his rival.he set up the whole murder theory thinking that he will commit suicide but these 2 should pay for their cheating.when John came to meet Emil they had some altercation and fight when john started bleeding and blood splattered on desk/book.that gave Emil idea that police will get confused and may frame John was his murder..he burned the document/letter of jimmy so that he could save his lover.
Entry 19
Murderer- Emil’s rival John Rockfort
Motive - John and Emil were thick of a friends and partners in law firm. Until Emil found evidence that John was embezzling his money. And he broke off the partnership.
John Rockfort has become Emil’s biggest rival.
But Emil was more famous than him and many elite class clients preferred Emil over John.
John has lost most of his good paying clientele to Emil and his funds were dwindling.
To save his practice he has to remove Emil from his way then he would get all his elite clients Back to him. He hatched a perfect plan.
He started pestering Emil to get back together and calling and meeting often.
John came to meet Emil on the same day he died. On the pretext of discussing a potential case with him and partnering him for it.
John knew that Emil has the evidence against him that he is addicted to gambling and embezzling money behind his addiction and threatened him that he will make it public this might be dangerous to his reputation..
Emil knew about John’s nosebleed issue and John had a nosebleed when he was on Emil’s office and his blood was scattered on the book and his table and some on Emil’s shoes. ( which was deliberately done by John)
Emil removed his shoes and got busy cleaning The blood on table and book..John knew where Emil keeps his guns and secret documents.. So when Emil was distracted he took off the key from the shoe by trick. Opened safe when Emil might went away to get clean up.
When Emil returned, he took the gun n shot him. Then he went ahead and found the documents which contained the evidence to frame him in. Embezzlement case and even while searching for the evidence against himself he found out about the documents and evidence contained Emma’s past n burnt them.
He knew from his sources that Emma and Emil are fighting for divorce and Emil’s lawyers were fighting the case were demanding alimony from Emma as she cheated Emil.
So the direct blame of the homicide falls on Emma. As she was home alone with victim that day and John comes to know from Emil’s while talking that he and Emma had an argument that day.
So John might be thinking “Saanp bhi mar jaaye and laathi bhi naa toote” smiley36
John is a criminal lawyer so staged the crime scene is not so very difficult for him to make it look like Emma killed Emil because of her extra marital affair and their ongoing divorce will make Emma would lose access over Emil’s money and property.
Emil is out of his way so now his law practice will flourish by getting all the elite group of clients back. And free flow of cash to support his gambling addiction.
Entry 20
Jimmy's ex-boyfriend Harry Potter murdered Emil. If harry had not killed him, Emil could've proved in court that harry murdered jimmy's parents.
Entry 21
Emil's rival name is William Harisson. He told that he and Emil was secretly working on a case of big frauds going in banks. They were trying to collect proof against big names. He also told that Emil didn't like him because he had cheated on his wife and they divorced after that. Emil was his wife's good friend. Before they were partners and their clients choosen him over Emil and vise versa. After that they became rivals. William approached Emil because one of Emil's client name came up and he told Emil about it. Emil agreed to work on this case. Yesterday night he and Emil was working on this case only. After that he left. In morning Emil told him on phone that he had lead and have a proof of same in chip. They were going to meet again tomorrow.
Emil's client James told that he met Emil for his case and told him that he was at crime scene at time of murder but he didn't kill someone and Emil believed him. He told that blood on book is his. He got cut on his hand and it started bleeding there in Emil's study and that is how blood got on book.
- The gun belonged to a William. He told detectives that his gun got stolen somedays ago. He had filed complaint for the same. But detectives doesn't believe that. Sherlock seems to believe him.
- The fingerprints and blood found on phone is Emil's. It seemed that Emil was trying to call someone.
- The half burnt documents seemed to be bank statements. But nothing further found from it.
- Under shoe insole there was little space made by someone and it seemed that Emil had hidden chip there.
Sherlock found out man who stole William's gun. The man told his name is Emmet. He is just small time thief. But Holmes believes that he is lying. Further investigating about Emmet Holmes found that he is assassin and his name is Elijah.
Further interrogating Elijah told that he got assignment of killing Emil. He was also told to steal William's gun and kill Emil with it and made to look it like suside. He was also told to steal chip. After lots of searching he got chip from shoe. But before he can get shoe back in Emil's leg he heard sound so he left shoe near door in hurry and left there. He told that he got call on his phone from a man to kill Emil and all the instructions how to do it. He got money for it in warehouse where he was instructed to drop chip.
Sherlock Holmes went alone to warehouse with his deduction skills. John Watson along with detectives going after getting address and backup.
Jim Moriarty was waiting for Sherlock Holmes and Holmes asked him about murderer. Jim told him that I am consulting criminal so I just guided him(murderer) and I knew you will know it's not a suside. You are smart you will find the murderer. Moriarty told that chip is with murderer.
Moriarty (mock salutes): Till we meet again Sherlock Holmes. He disappear before Sherlock reached him.
Murderer: Mystery person who reached Jim Moriarty for assistance.
Motive: Emil come to know about person who doing frauds and had a proof that will expose that person.
Entry 22
Emma was the murderer as she was the only one at home at that time apart from Emil. Also, she knew the key's location... and the fact that Emil had a gun which he stored in the safe. She did it because the divorce wasn't going in her favor and she didn't have enough money to pay off the alimony.
Entry 23
well as per me the latest client jimmy can be behind emils murder and he is trying to frame emma and john for the same , since emil know very important info about jimmy and suspecting him to be not disclosing entire truth to him even suspecting him ,and he even did visit emil that day too , so i find he might have sneaked in shot emil using his own gun making sure that his finger prints are not on it , and searching for evidences to be planned against both emma and john , making it look like they were cheating on emil and planning to kill him .he might have known about the key to safe and all this planned by him leaving all traces against john and emma