Death of Drew Misham

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The death of Drew Misham occurred in the fall of 2026.

Investigation

Apollo Justice was in the Wright Anything Agency, writing in his journal about his latest case, when Trucy Wright urged him to watch the TV. Troupe Gramarye was being resurrected after seven long years, starting with an inaugural performance, the Troupe Gramarye Grand Magic Show, by Valant Gramarye at Sunshine Coliseum. Trucy had already bought tickets for the whole Agency.

Entering the room, Phoenix Wright finally told Justice about his "secret mission". The courts were attempting to re-introduce the "Jurist System", in which a 12-member jury would decide the verdict of a trial, though the initial implementation would use six jurors. A "simple" test trial simulation was going to be set up the next day, with Phoenix leading the Jurist System Simulated Court Committee, which constructed and observed the trial situations. The crime was murder, and the defendant was "probably" guilty. Justice had already been registered as the defense attorney; that morning, Phoenix had suddenly picked a new case, a real murder.

Phoenix said that the people involved in the trial were supposed to approach the case with a blank slate, with no preconceptions. Nonetheless, Phoenix gave Justice permission to investigate the crime scene. Phoenix insisted that he would take full responsibility for any result of the trial, for better or for worse. Phoenix also allowed Justice to try to talk to his client, "if... you can get her to talk."

Trucy begged for Justice to come with her to Sunshine Coliseum. This reminded Phoenix to give Trucy a "Recycle Your Plastics Day" present (as that was the special designation of that day). It was a purple envelope containing the Gramarye seal, but Phoenix sternly told Trucy not to open it until she needed it.

Interview with the defendant

Justice and Trucy waited at the detention center visitor's room for the client to show up. Trucy asked the guard what was going on, and the guard incredulously replied that the client had been there the whole time, hiding from within a corner. Trucy attempted to use Mr. Hat to break the continued silence, but only succeeded in causing the client to faint. After some failed attempts at a conversation, with the defendant responding only by painting her nails, Justice tried to leave, but the client suddenly stopped him and gave Justice her business card, revealing her name, Vera Misham, and her residence, Drew Studio. She then hid into a corner again, and Justice and Trucy hurried to Drew Studio.

The crime scene

Justice found Drew Studio to be a mess of paintings and other assortments, and determined that this was the crime scene. He and Trucy looked through the paintings and found a half finished one. However, the rough sketch layer looked nothing like the finished portion of the painting. Ema Skye also arrived at the studio and, upon finding that Justice was the defense attorney for the case, told him the basic details.

The victim, Drew Misham, had been poisoned in this studio, and Vera, his daughter, was the accused. Drew and Vera had virtually no contact with the outside world, and the only fingerprints found were from them. However, a reporter had interviewed Drew on the day of the crime, which had apparently been the only time anyone from the outside had visited the studio. Drew had died during the interview when Vera served him his usual nightly coffee. The reporter had been snooping around the studio and, upon seeing Drew die, he had called the police. Strangely, however, the coffee contained no traces of poison. Skye had already investigated the mug with a reagent used to detect atroquinine, the extremely deadly poison used to kill Drew.

The first part of contents of the letter.

The second part of contents of the letter.

Trucy asked Skye for the reagent to find more traces of atroquinine. Justice was more thorough than Skye had been, finding traces of poison on a tiny picture frame on a desk, the size of a postage stamp. Justice also found a painting that was hidden behind a drawer, which was identical to the unfinished third painting other than in the area of the rough sketch, and depicted a peach floating down a river.

Justice investigated the desk again to find a red envelope dated seven years ago. He showed the envelope to Skye, who suggested the use of her "X-Ray Analyzer", which could allow him to read the letter inside the envelope without opening it. Justice tested the machine on one of Skye's lottery tickets, and then examined the letter with it. The letter read as follows:

Mr. Drew Misham. I've deposited the $100,000 in the designated account. Please send a receipt once you've confirmed the transfer. Sign the papers and send in the enclosed envelope with the enclosed stamp within 3 days. I need not remind you to speak of this to no one.

Justice learned from Skye that the reporter would be standing as a witness, so she couldn't reveal much other than his name, Spark Brushel. Skye gave Justice Brushel's Card, and told him that Brushel would probably be interviewing Valant Gramarye.

Interview with Valant

Justice and Trucy found Valant at Sunshine Coliseum. Valant briefly brought up the tragedy of Zak Gramarye's disappearance, and he said that he would have been grateful just to stand on stage as Zak's assistant. Justice asked why Valant had waited seven years for the show, and Valant informed Justice of the performance rights laws that prevented Valant from legally performing Magnifi Gramarye's magic, as Magnifi had passed on his "Gramarye Miracle" to Zak upon his death. However, Zak was declared legally dead seven years after his disappearance (this is known as death in absentia), making Valant the new heir to the Gramarye Miracle according to Magnifi's will.

Justice showed Valant Brushel's card. Valant remembered him as an unpleasant individual; Valant had asked Brushel to cover the show, but Brushel was only after Troupe Gramarye's dirty secrets. Disgusted, Valant had asked Brushel to head for the detention center. Justice then showed Valant Trucy's gift. Valant was shocked; the signature on the envelope was from Zak. Valant asked to open the envelope, but Justice refused. Valant refused to explain his reaction to the envelope.

Interview with Brushel

Justice found Brushel interviewing Vera's guard. The annoyed guard left Brushel to Justice to deal with, and talking to Brushel quickly revealed his wild imagination. He was addicted to interviewing anybody he could find and cooking up an embellished story. During the conversation, however, Brushel happened to talk about a news story he had read about an oil painting depicting a peach floating down a river that had been stolen.

The hidden sketches

Justice confronted Skye about the stolen painting in the studio. Skye confessed; Drew Misham was a forger. She also confessed that she had brought the X-Ray Analyzer to examine the rough sketches under the forged paintings. Justice investigated the rough sketches himself. As he examined each rough sketch, he became increasingly horrified; the sketches depicted his previous three cases! Bewildered, Justice spent the night trying to make sense of what he had seen.

Drew's sketch based off of Justice's first case.

Drew's sketch based off of Justice's second case.

Drew's sketch based off of Justice's third case.

Further information

• Victim's POV
• Trial (October 8, 2026)
• Trial (October 9, 2026)