Thomas Ritter is found shot dead in the forest by a fellow hunter. But when the police arrive, the body is gone. Did the perpetrator try to cover important tracks? Inspectors Hansen and Stadler decide to treat the matter as murder even without a body. While Michi Mohr directs the search in the forest area, the inspectors investigate the victim's surroundings. His wife Ursula Ritter, however, has a watertight alibi. As it turns out, Thomas Ritter's business conduct also leads to possible motives. The large landowner Claudius von Rentingen was deceived by him and the silent partner Peter Stuber was also deceived. But then coroner Ela Atay comes with new results and an unbelievable suspicion: Isn't Thomas Ritter dead and the whole thing just a staging? The inspectors are about to hand the case over to their colleagues when things take a turn and everything has to be reopened. Meanwhile, caretaker Winkler is taking inventory in the police station and is looking for a technical device that has disappeared but urgently needs to be found. While he is supported by Grasegger and Lange, Eighties and Donato should not find out about the matter.