Sensational murder scandals are often portrayed in the media as open-and-shut cases with one victim and one defendant. However, real-world legal cases demonstrate that this rarely tends to be the case. In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, the title character hires two men to kill Banquo and his young son, Fleance; however, minutes before the murder, they are joined by a third unidentified man, one of many potential candidates who may have a vested interest in the deaths of Banquo and Fleance. After examining the facts, Macbeth is believed to be the third murderer. First, this anonymous person knows exactly where and when to meet the other two, information that no one else has. Furthermore, the third assassin has significant knowledge of Banquo's behavior and tendencies. Most significantly, Macbeth is absent at the start of his celebratory banquet and enters the room only moments before the first assassin arrives to report that Banquo is dead. For starters, the third assassin seems to appear out of nowhere, knowing exactly when and where the first two men meet. After Macbeth meets the other assassins in his palace, he convinces them to attack Banquo; during this time, the three men are secluded with no chance of being heard. After Macbeth is assured of the murderers' loyalty, he tells them: “By this hour at the latest / I will advise you where to plant yourself, / I will let you know the perfect spy of the time, / the moment when; for it must be done this evening” (III.i. 148-151). The mental states of the other murderers allow Macbeth to easily influence them; both men don't care what happens to their lives. They have nothing to lose by following Macbeth's orders, but everything to gain. Because of the weather... middle of paper... the murderers report to Macbeth; during the interval between the killing and the banquet, Macbeth has time to return to his palace and wash himself before welcoming his guests. Evidently, Macbeth's absence during the time of Banquo's murder implies that Macbeth is the third murderer. In summary, Macbeth is Banquo's third murderer. Macbeth is absent from the coronation feast for several hours during the time of Banquo's killing. Furthermore, the third man seems to know Banquo's habits and tendencies intimately. Finally, the third assassin knows exactly when and where to find Banquo and the other two assassins, information that no one else has. By moving away from prototypical murder scenarios, Shakespeare increases the appeal of his work. Effective theater must challenge, intrigue and entertain the audience, because without an audience there is no theatre.