and it was there in the shallow portion of the stillwater river that investigators got their first break. it was a 12-gauge winchester pump shotgun. it had masking tape around the handle of the barrel. that masking tape was the same color and same width as the masking tape that was wrapped around on the homemade silencer device left at the crime scene. also, it had the serial number scratched off. my initial impression was we re never going to get these numbers up. and if we do, we might get one or two at best. the stillwater river bridge was just nine miles from the crime scene. about half a mile downstream, police discovered a black, plastic bag that had floated down the river and become caught in some overhanging branches. it only makes sense, if the guy is going to throw the shotgun in the river, he s going to throw the other forensic evidence in the river.