Prime suspect is a designation placed on a person that the police reasonably believe committed a particular crime.
The prime suspect has not been formally charged with an offense. However, they will be investigated.
Prime suspect also refers to the stage between the identification of a suspect and confirming that a particular suspect is the offender. The term began being used in the 1930s.
Prime suspect is a criminal term and, by default, implies that a criminal act has taken place. When a prime suspect is identified, the police will arrest the person for questioning. The police have a legal requirement to give a prime suspect their Miranda rights, which outlines what the person has a right to do in that situation.