One month after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, these key questions remain unanswered.

On October 2, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi went to his country's consulate in Istanbul for a routine visit to obtain documents. Instead, he was killed during this visit and his assassination triggered a worldwide reaction against Saudi Arabia and its powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Some details of what happened at the consulate have been confirmed, but a number of key issues in the case are still unanswered:

1. What happened to Khashoggi's body?

On Wednesday, Turkish investigators gave the most detailed explanation so far on the assassination of Khashoggi, columnist at the Washington Post and prominent critic of Saudi leaders. According to them, the journalist was strangled as soon as he entered the consulate, according to a premeditated plan.

But Khashoggi's body has still not been found. Saudi officials had previously said the body had been handed over to a "local collaborator," but Turkish investigators have hinted that the person may not exist. Instead, they wonder if the dismembered Khashoggi body was acid-etched, either in the consulate or in the neighboring residence of the Saudi consul general.

"Khashoggi's body does not have to be buried," said a senior Turkish official at the Washington Post.

The remains can give the investigators a number of key clues, but they have greater value for Khashoggi's friends and family. "He has not had a funeral yet. This is not acceptable in the Islamic rules, "said his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, to ABC News, citing the Islamic practice of burying the dead shortly after their expiration.

2. At what height did the plot take place?

It took more than two weeks for the Saudi government to admit that Khashoggi had been killed and even longer to say that the murder was deliberate. He finally arrested 18 Saudi nationals and fired five top officials, but Turkish investigators said the kingdom had offered no concrete help to unveil exactly what had happened. "We did not have the impression that they were eager to truly cooperate with the investigation," said a manager at The Post.

Since the beginning of Khashoggi's disappearance, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been deeply suspected of having participated in the plot. In particular, because of the high nature of some of the suspects identified by Turkey, it was difficult to imagine that the plot was independent of Saudi leaders.

"It is inconceivable that an operation involving royal guards, other officials of the court and the consulate has not been authorized by the Crown Prince," said Bruce Riedel, senior official at the Brookings Institution.

According to information exchanged in the United States, the Crown Prince ordered an operation to bring Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia at his home in Virginia. He also described Khashoggi as a dangerous Islamist during phone calls with President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and national security advisor, John Bolton.

But the kingdom has repeatedly denied that Muhammad was involved. Indeed, his father, King Salman, commissioned him to conduct a study of the Saudi intelligence services ordered in response to Khashoggi's murder.

3. What will be the repercussions?

Saudi Arabia has been an essential ally of the United States and other Western countries for decades. Second king in his country, Mohammed bin Salman initiated economic and social reforms that were warmly welcomed by many foreign allies, including Trump. Its campaign of arrests and repression against its political rivals and militants has been less commented on and the brutal Saudi war effort in Yemen has caused few problems in Riyadh.

But the assassination of Khashoggi changed that. Even if the Crown Prince was not directly involved, the cruel nature of the crime – and the incompetent temptation to conceal it – foreshadow a profound dysfunction.

Saudi Arabia's reputation in the United States has been clearly damaged. Many US corporations and government officials have pulled out of a recent investment conference in Riyadh. US lawmakers have suggested a form of targeted punishment against Saudi officials, and Congress increasingly opposes US support for Saudi intervention in Yemen.

Until now, however, there has been little practical change. Trump was reluctant to criticize the Saudis and repeatedly suggested that he would not consider canceling arms deals with the kingdom. There is almost no action in other Western capitals. Germany is one of the few countries to have taken significant steps so far, suspending arms sales to Saudi Arabia until further notice.

It is also unclear whether there will be any major changes in Saudi Arabia. Although Riyadh has initiated its own investigation into Khashoggi's murder, it is unlikely to satisfy the country's critics. Few members of Saudi royalty have the ability to repel Mohammed bin Salman, who still seems to enjoy considerable support from his father and the Saudi public.

"Life is beautiful here because our Crown Prince is still working hard for us and improving our lives," Rashid al-Awadin, a retired soldier in the agricultural town of Al Dilam, told a post reporter. "I support it, and nothing will change that, no matter the case. I will follow his example as long as he is alive. "

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