S1E7: Blueprint for Murder

Brief Summary:

In Blueprint for Murder (Season 1, Episode 7), Columbo investigates the disappearance—and presumed murder—of Bo Williamson, a wealthy and temperamental businessman. The prime suspect is the ambitious architect Elliott Markham (played by Patrick O’Neal), who has been building a revolutionary civic center, bankrolled by Bo’s fortune. When Bo vanishes after expressing disapproval of the project, Columbo suspects that Markham silenced him to keep the money flowing. The twist? There’s no body. With no corpse, no weapon, and only a gut feeling, Columbo has to construct a case using intuition, psychology, and one brilliant final bluff.

Clues and Analysis of the Investigation

Key Clue 1: The Sudden Disappearance

Bo Williamson returns from Europe only to immediately go missing. Markham claims Bo left again, angry and erratic. But Columbo is suspicious—especially since Bo’s car is still at the airport and there’s no record of his flight.

Columbo is always alert to unexplained absences. A man that wealthy and well-connected doesn’t just disappear without a trace.

Key Clue 2: The Cement Pour

Markham is overseeing the construction of a large civic center, and Columbo becomes fixated on a freshly poured concrete foundation. He suspects the body might be hidden within—but there’s no proof.

It’s the perfect hiding place: large, permanent, and difficult to excavate. Markham’s calm demeanor about it only makes Columbo more suspicious.

Key Clue 3: Bo’s Second Wife

Bo’s young wife, Goldie, returns home confused by her husband’s silence. She doesn’t believe the story that he left again without telling her. Columbo uses her doubts to poke holes in Markham’s narrative.

Goldie’s disbelief provides Columbo with an emotional ally—and another reason to keep digging.

Key Clue 4: The Final Bluff – The Body in the Foundation

In a genius move, Columbo pretends to have obtained a court order to dig up the construction site. Markham, thinking his secret will be unearthed, protests—but when Columbo sees Markham nervously visit the site to move the body before the dig, he springs the trap.

There wasn’t a court order—but Markham’s reaction proves everything. He was so worried he tried to move the body, revealing his guilt.

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Case

Strengths:

• Behavioral Psychology: With no body, Columbo relies on the killer’s behavior. Markham’s obsession with the foundation and anxiety about the excavation give the lieutenant everything he needs.

• The Bluff: Columbo’s fake court order is one of his most masterful plays. It’s pure psychology—and it works perfectly.

• Motive and Opportunity: Markham’s project (and ego) were threatened by Bo’s opposition. The motive is strong and clear.

Weaknesses:

• No Physical Evidence (Initially): For most of the episode, Columbo has no body, no witnesses, no weapon—just suspicions.

• High Risk: Without Markham’s reaction to the bluff, the case would remain circumstantial. Columbo’s trap was brilliant, but risky.

Overlooked Clues

• Columbo’s Relentlessness: Columbo’s refusal to drop the case despite having no corpse shows his confidence and cunning. Many detectives would’ve walked away, but he knows something’s off.

• Markham’s Arrogance: Like many Columbo killers, Markham believes he’s smarter than everyone else. His smug demeanor eventually betrays him.

• The Setting as a Clue: The construction site is more than a backdrop—it’s part of the killer’s psychology. Markham sees the civic center as his legacy, and Columbo exploits that emotional connection.

Conviction Analysis

By the end of the episode, Columbo catches Markham red-handed moving the body—concrete proof (pun intended) of his guilt. While it’s an unusual case—there’s no hard evidence until the end—the psychological trap closes it tight.

Markham’s defense might argue that he panicked or that he found the body and wanted to protect his reputation. But the motive, timeline, and Columbo’s detailed testimony about his bluff would be more than enough for a conviction.

A jury would likely be impressed by Columbo’s clever setup and the killer’s obvious guilt once caught in the act.

Conclusion

Blueprint for Murder wraps up Season 1 with a cerebral, tension-filled mystery. Unlike earlier episodes filled with physical clues, this one is all about instinct, behavior, and patience. Columbo doesn’t find the body—he forces the killer to reveal it.

The episode is a masterclass in psychological warfare. Markham is calm, composed, and calculating—but Columbo, once again, proves that his disheveled charm hides a razor-sharp mind.

It’s a fitting season finale: no big confrontation, no shouting match—just one quiet man outsmarting a killer in a hard hat.