Breaking news: Help Us Find The Mystery Mechanic!!
Art by Sara Polster
As of today, Oct. 31, a donated red Chevrolet Corvette C1 in the Samo autoshop has been reported missing. A search warrant has been placed to gain access throughout campus to identify the missing vehicle.
Under the innovation building remains a hidden part of Samo. There lies an elite autoshop only the upperclassmen have access to. In the autoshop, the red Chevrolet has recently been repaired and tucked away under the security of the trusted Samo staff.
Consulting with police officers about this violation, it has been confirmed that autotech student Loa Garcia Lopez (’26) was last seen with the car. Lopez claimed to be checking the engine since it had problems with the valve cover, more specifically, the oil dipstick, just before it was under the supervision of the security guards. Currently, Lopez is refusing to make any public statement regarding the activity of the missing Corvette.
Just two floors above the auto shop, Chemistry teacher Jenny Forster spoke to the police as she claimed she saw two young students in the shop. Forster saw the students on her walk to the daycare center to see her child. Walking across campus from the innovation to the language building, Forster described an in-depth witness statement about her findings.
“It happened so fast,” Forster said. “I panicked and ran to the daycare to check on my kid.”
Shortly after she saw the students tampering in the auto shop, she was suddenly alarmed at the thought of her child in danger. She was quickly relieved when she saw him on his midday walk around campus after receiving notice of his short absence during fourth period, according to one of the daycare's supervisors. Double-checking the safety of the child, no one had a clue where he disappeared off to.
As a verification from advisors reporting about so-called suspicious students from Forster, it has been confirmed that those students are in her third period chemistry class. She has now been questioned by the police for her role in misleading the investigation.
While the news broke out from a security officer, D, at around 3 p.m., forensics found a size 10 oil footprint matching the similar heel pattern of D’s shoes. When questioned about the reason D was in the autoshop, as he was scheduled to watch Michigan gate, he slowly began acting jittery.
“I accidentally left my gloves in the autoshop when giving out a call slip, so I had to go back and retrieve them,” D said. “I must’ve stepped in some oil on my way out.”
As the underground auto shop has become more recognized, students across campus have been protesting against contributing to the search for the missing vehicle. A particularly vocal witness, Daniel Diaz-Bentancor (’26), says that he had overheard a heated argument with security officer D and autotech student Marko Zelennovic (’26). In the exchanged conversation, Diaz-Bentancor suggests that there was an attempted fraud scheme with the Corvette, potentially leading up to its disappearance.
“To be honest, I had no idea what they were talking about,” Diaz-Bentancor said. “Did you guys know about autoshop? I didn’t even know Samo had one.”
When bringing Zelennovic into the interrogation room, investigators grilled him with numerous questions regarding his new credit activity with a transfer of nearly six figures added to his balance.
“Listen, I do some side-hustling to make my money and there's no crime involved,” Zelennovic said. “But if I were to hypothetically steal a car, I would splatter oil on the floor to frame the person who was last in the autoshop...”
In an anonymous tip call to the police department three hours after the missing report, autotech student Gabriel Lopez (’26) was accused of driving an identical replica of the Corvette after school. When taking in Lopez and retrieving his alibi from last night, Lopez claims he was working late in the autoshop, but when he closed up shop, the Corvette was still in its roughed up position. While his whereabouts when the car disappeared are still unaccounted for, it has been confirmed that he was absent for fifth and sixth period. Now, officers never officially added Lopez to their suspect list, but after taking a headshot of him for their records, it appears he had grease on his neck (similar to the one that had been used to refill the Corvette engine) and shattered glass particles identified on his jacket, as if he had broken a car window…
While maintaining the regular schedule at Samo, staff and students have slowly been reporting in scattered parts of an unidentified car around campus. Yumori’s substitute teacher, Colette Bowles, went on Instagram live, answering questions about the mysterious findings in her classroom.
“When I walked into the classroom this morning, four flat tires were stacked on top of my desk,” Bowles said. “Which was strange since I always lock my room and I don’t have a student in autotech. Or so I believe…”
Despite her recent transition into her substitute schedule, Bowles used to formally teach autotech at her previous school. Since this information has surfaced to the public, a rumor is going around claiming that she was conspiring with students in autotech to do dirty work.
When inspecting all students from the auto shop in fourth period, student Jacob Bromell (’27) had been turned in by his fellow students. Without any explanation as to why he was being inspected by FBI agents, they began ruffling through his backpack. To their surprise, a pair of car keys were found in a wrapped envelope with a red key chain—one only the Corvette had.
With all the information present, the police department is continuing to conduct this ongoing investigation. But with the compacted evidence gathered, each suspect has an equal chance of being the culprit. It’s uncertain if the truth ever comes out. Who do you think is responsible for this heinous crime at Samo? Stay tuned on @TheSamohi Instagram to find out the culprit…