A corpse is discovered in a locked, windowless room.?

Question

The lock is a dead-bolt that can seemingly only be set from inside the room; there doesn't appear to be any way that someone from outside the room could of thrown the bolt.

I need to come up with at least four theories to explain these facts. Detailed enough to be plausible, although they do not have to be complex.

Answer 1

1. Person died after locking the door.
2. Secret passage from inside the room not yet discovered.
3. The deadbolt was only half-way unlocked when the person entered the room and when they slammed the door shut the force of the impact threw the deadbolt forward, thus locking the door.
4. The door was removed by the hinges that are located on the outside of the door, because the door was installed improperly, and the door was reattached by sliding the deadbolt into the deadbolt hole and reattaching the hinges to the door.
5. The deadbolt is not located on the door and is, in fact install on something else inside the room; the person locked the door using another locking mechanism to lock the door.

Answer 2

#1 The victim had a heart attack and died in hte room. No foul play.

#2 The room was built around the corpse. ( like maybe walled up in a spot in the wall)

#3 Can the deadbolt be locked with a key from outside?

#4 There was only that one time this happened, and I honestly I was the driver and in the car so I really don't know how they did it.

Answer 3

One way could be a string attached to the one end of the bolt lever thing. The person could take the string with them outside, shut the door, and pull the string setting the bolt.

Answer 4

suicide
accidental death from a fall
heart attack death
poison gas under the door
person took or was given a slow acting poison before entering the room

Answer 5

remember the movie 'Panic Room' or something like that ?

Answer 6

They got undressed with the lights on? lol