Objects can move independently
A coat, tool, mug or key may be lent, inherited, stored or left behind. Finding it in a location establishes something about the object first. Connecting its presence to its usual owner requires another piece of evidence. This distinction becomes especially important when a theory depends on a photograph, inventory or lost-property record showing a recognizable possession.
Worked example: the office mug
A mug appears on a desk in a photograph taken after its owner's death. The photograph need not be misdated. The mug could have remained in use by colleagues, perhaps as a pencil holder. A staff note or a second image can clarify that history. The object's familiar association makes a human presence easy to imagine, but imagination does not supply the missing link.
Ask about custody and use
Track the last supported transfer or use of the object. Who had access to it, and which source establishes that access? Avoid multiplying hypothetical borrowers without evidence, but do not erase a documented loan because it complicates your preferred timeline. In a Somatry file, treat object, owner and user as separate entries whenever the records distinguish them. That preserves a useful clue while preventing it from becoming an unsupported alibi or accusation.