Kate Beckett:  Do you have a cause of death ?
M.E. Sidney Perlmutter: It was a burn . A burn that penetrated tissue , muscle , and bone , leaving this perfectly cylindrical hole .
Kate Beckett: What kind of burn does that ?
M.E. Sidney Perlmutter: Well , _ one _ created by high levels of infrared radiation . The blood vessels were cauterized by the intense heat .
Kate Beckett: Are you saying ...
Richard Castle: She was killed by a phaser ?
M.E. Sidney Perlmutter: Well , as much as it pains me , Mr. Castle is largely correct . She was killed by a high intensity laserbeam .
Richard Castle: A real sci - fi murder at a sci - fi convention ! This keeps getting better .