Ok so like everyone else i had a problem with this quest. Soon as i finish it, the three guards are still at the shrine and every time i go there the confront me like i am still doing the quest. So i played this mission all day from a save i did before walking in and seeing the murder, trying to figure out if there is a walk around. I did every scenario I can possible do and it all ended with the same stupid glitch, until I did it a certain way. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke so i did it again and it worked..again. So this is what I did, instead of going inside markart, what ever the city is called i did a side quest out side the city where you have to clear a mine of forsworn invaders. I clear the mine and went straight to the city, by this time it was nighttime in the game about 12am.. saw the murder get the note from the guy and talk to the two other witnesses there ,read the note and met up with him at the shrine. went to the inn to get margaret journal, Talk to the owner to give me the key with intimidation speech. go to the room and get the journal, go outside and get hassle by the guard, bring the evidence to the guy at the shrine..get paid go back to the inn and sleep for 8 hours, it was 12am and woke up at 8am, went to get the note, the second evidence, by intimidating the guy to give me the key. I then went outside and fought the guy to tell me who n is. bring the evidence back to the shrine and get paid again, then went to talk to silver blood ,killed the agents and then went to nose the old man... kill all of them after they attack me. went to the shrine and went to jail ... in jail i talk to the guy sitting on the floor first.. then the orc and got the shiv for him from a guy that wanted skooma. talk to madacal, whatever his name is, and told me to talk to this guy to tell me his story,then he ask me to kill this thief ,but instead i talk to him and told him mada whatever said hi... he gets angry and tries to kill me but i ran and the other inmates killed him.we escape the mine and I get my stuff back, we go outside and the battle begins. I just was watching no fighting soon as silver blood dies I loot his body and get his journal.I went to the shrine and there is only two guards. I did it this way twice and it worked both times...when i was in jail i never ask for how long or what they were in for, to none of the inmates. I played this mission last night and all day long trying to get it right, I hope that this works for anyone that is annoyed with this quest. Ohh and sorry about my grammer, trying to type fast so i can play again lol

Maybe it has something to do with giving Eltrys the evidence after every step. I know I didn't, and followed each clue as I got it and didn't talk to Eltrys again until he was killed by the guards.

Yes That happens to me. If I go to the shrine straight after the quest there is only two guards and I can loot Eltys corpse.

But if I return a couple of days later I find the shrine has reset and the glitch is back.

So when it does reset is it permanent ? or its like the smithing glitch where it happens sometimes?

never mind it does reset after a few days but i found out that my little brother does not get the glitch at all...so i did the same thing like he did in his game..i start a night to remember quest and woke up in markart i go where the lady gets murder and start doing the forsworn conspiracy quest while still having the a night to remember quest active. After i finish the quest i tried waiting and finally no guard glitch..i waited six days and it was clear. I think the bug starts when you come to the front door of the city, cause a night to remember you just wake up in there and everything works fine now.