I was hoping someone could explain how the game determines if you get caught killing somebody.

I have high stealth (94 + lots of sneak bonuses) and I'll be in a town, backstab my target 100 % hidden. Sometimes I get away with it, other times I don't.

I've been good distances from guards usually too. I noticed that if I stick around the crime scene (even if I'm 100% hidden) and then leave I have a higher set of chance to get caught. I've also noticed some guards chase me and other guards have no idea about any crime I just committed.

I know if someone - anyone sees me commit a crime I get an auto bounty.

What gets you caught?

Thanks for helping.

It has to do with line of sight, if I'm not mistaken. I haven't had too much experience in getting caught, because I usually don't get caught. Basically, if someone sees you commit a crime, they'll have a bounty set on your head. BUT. If you kill all witnesses to the crime then your bounty is removed. I've never had it happen to me, but I think if a guard sees you near a dead innocent body he questions you. Don't quite know for sure. Hope that helps a little bit?

Seriously? So if someone sees me kill a npc and I kill that person too my bounty is removed? I can't believe that until I actually seen that for myself lol. But in Windhelm that poor old beggar was murdered when I was nearby. A guard came up to me and accused me that I might had something to do with it.

My Khajiit is...well...to be honest a murderous bastard, lol. Although I've yet to be caught.

I can confirm this is true, I snuck up and back stabbed a priest of stendarr (my khajiit was suffering from bloodlust) not realizing his companion was nearby. The 1000 bounty was added, but upon killing the witness it popped up saying bounty removed.

I've NEVER been questioned before. Some guard will just assume I did it, then start attacking me and I won't be able to yield. If other people, including guards see him attack me they run away. And if I attack him back, then I get a bounty

The guards seem to be far too intelligent, which is generally why I don't kill civilians.

There's a variety of reasons that one would need to kill civilians, I just don't want to spoil anything.

I think it's great you guys don't get caught, but this isn't a contest, it's a question for on how you get caught.

I've gotten caught when the closest person in sight is pretty far away. Or sometimes when I stick around crime scene - even though nobody is nearby - I tend to get caught.

More input from community would be appreciated

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/596955603807589327/E2E07196A27C9DE96CD1DAE986B649A04AAC20D7/

Guards will never question you, never. I did that, I killed this guy in broad daylight, I picked up his body and paraded it around white run, no one gave a damn.

One thing I have noticed is if a guard sees someone die, they will "know" you did it. If they don't see it, they will not react (say if their back is turned). Hidden seems to have nothing to do with this if their looking at the person being killed.

Its kinda BS, but a step forward from oblivion for sure. Still a ways to go though. I have had times where I get the prompt that all whiteness' have been killed but I still have a bounty and get chased by guards...