Legal Definitions - prime suspect

The prime suspect is the person who is believed by law enforcement officers to have most likely committed a crime that is being investigated. This person is considered the main suspect because there is evidence or a motive that leads officers to believe that they are responsible for the crime.

For example, in the case of Farmers New World Life Insurance Co. v. Rees, a woman was found dead in the street outside the home she shared with her husband. The husband, who was a gambler and the sole beneficiary on his wife's life insurance policy, was at one point considered a prime suspect. This is because he had a motive to kill his wife and there was evidence that suggested he may have been involved in her death.

Another example of a prime suspect could be a person who is caught on camera committing a crime or who is seen by witnesses at the scene of the crime. In these cases, the evidence is clear and the person is immediately considered the prime suspect.

Overall, a prime suspect is the person who is most likely responsible for a crime based on the evidence and motives that law enforcement officers have gathered during their investigation.