How to find the most macabre mission of Red Dead 2

By exploring the vast open world of Red Dead Redemption 2, you will encounter many interesting (and slightly disturbing) things. Sometimes it's a snake bite victim who needs help; on other occasions, it is a scary abandoned building with a story to tell. But there is a series of casual encounters more macabre than the others, and once you've found the first, you'll be looking for a very messy serial killer.

You will probably find the first murder scene at the beginning of the match. While the other two murder victims are within a few kilometers of the open areas, you can find them at any time, as long as you can navigate freely on the map. For this guide, we kept the location spoilers to a minimumand all the screenshots come from an early backup with little unlocking – so do not worry if you want to play detective a bit before you really dive into the rest of the game. Of course, this contains spoilers for the American mission Dreams Stranger.

For more guides, check out our features by outlining all the tips you need to know before playing and the things the game does not tell you. We also have specific guides on things like earning money and personalizing guns to help you be the best outlaw. Be sure to read our review of Red Dead 2 if you have not already done so, and if you want to have some more fun, be sure to read our article detailing the cheats of the game.

Step 1: Fill in the map

There are three murder scenes to find, with a piece of card hidden at each. In order to launch the aliens mission itself, you must first restore the map. In general, you are looking for an area that stands out in one way or another – maybe you see spots of blood on the road or vultures in the distance. You can also zoom in on the map as you approach, since an X marking the corpse will appear and point you to the path.

Murder 1: south of Valentine

The first scene of murder is just outside of Valentine. Follow the railway towards the south of the city; you will have to climb directly onto the slopes at some point to cross a gap, then you will find the body under the next overpass. The "front" of the scene faces the west. You'll find scary words written in the painting on the right, and on the left, the severed head of the victim is glued to a support beam. In his mouth is the first of three pieces of card.

Murder 2: West of Shady Belle

The second crime scene is in the Scarlett Meadows area, which is a decent ride southeast of Valentine. It's just west of Shady Belle or a little south of Rhodes, depending on your angle of approach. It is easier to see Shady Belle coming; Take the road in a westerly direction, go straight to the first fork and continue straight until you reach a second fork. Turn right here, then continue straight until you reach another fork on the road. The corpse will hang in a big tree on your left; on your map, this will be exactly where the "S" is in "meadows". Go around the back of the tree to find the cut head and the piece of map.

Murder 3: South West of Wallace Station

The last victim of the murder is attached to a large rock just southwest of Wallace Station in the western region of Elizabeth (to the west and a little south of Valentine, across the river). Cross the creek and you will see the rock at the top of the hill, probably surrounded by vultures. The head and the final map are on a small rock on the left.

Step 2: Location of the killer

Once completed, the map will give you vague instructions on where to go and what to do when you get there. It shows a bridge with arrows leading to a forest, a dilapidated log cabin and a code for a combination lock: 6-34-32. As any real crime fan knows, murderers usually kill in areas they know and live in, which makes it a place as good as others. (If you prefer to solve the mystery yourself from now on, do not keep reading!)

In the end, everything ends where everything started: Valentine or, technically, southwest of Valentine at a place called Lucky's Cabin. If you come straight from the murder scene at Wallace Station, cross the river and follow the main road to the northeast. This is the direction indicated on the map. You turn left just after the bridge to reach the cottage. If you come from Valentine, just follow the road outside the city to the west.

With the reconstituted map, you will be able to open the basement doors and see the horrors that it contains. White ? An icon stating that a foreign mission must appear on the map around the cabin – otherwise, you could have an active mission that you must first perform. After looking at the killer's hideout (use your lantern if you really want to see all the macabre details), head back and inspect the knife. This will trigger a cutscene, so just follow the instructions.

Once you have sealed and delivered the killer to the sheriff's office at Valentine, he will attack the sheriff. Use Dead Eye to kill him and save the sheriff for a reward that will complete the US Dreams Stranger mission. Hope that Arthur is not too scared.