Australia Australia - Simone Strobel, 25, Lismore, NSW, 11 Feb 2005

DNA Solves
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DNA Solves

The man charged over the death of German backpacker Simone Strobel on the NSW north coast is alleged to have suffocated her, but his lawyer has told a Sydney court the case against him isn't supported by any evidence.
 

The man charged with the alleged murder of German backpacker Simone Strobel will be free to reunite with his family in Western Australia after being granted bail.

In the Downing Centre today, Magistrate Margaret Quinn granted bail to Mr Moran and described the prosecution's case as "weak".

"There's a circumstantial case, but there doesn't appear to be any evidence connecting him to the offence," Ms Quinn said.
 
I used about the last week to get into the details about the case.

Although i would like to see strong circumstancial clues about TM being the murderer (behavior in general, some crocodile tears, Simones diary, some well played concern about her disappearance, etc.), a few other circumstances seem to be remarkable to me as well.

TM is said to have slept in the van while Simone, TM's sister and Jens M. slept in the tents. Hard to think, that Simone went into the van that night, after having an argument with TM or even the whole rest of the group.

It seems unusual to me as well, that her body has been been disposed in the close area around the car park, just about 100 meters away. Two reasons could be responsible for that. The first one is pressure of time, the second one could be a mostly unknown environment in Lismore.

What if somebody around the group of the german visitors, probably intoxicated, recognized the arguments and the tense situation between TM and simone and either tried to protect a sibling in some way, or to get physically closer to simone and the situation escalated In some way?

In my opinion, some statements Jens M. gave to the police are suspicious ("Not my job..."). Another question is, how similar could be the DNA samples of TM and his sister?

Just want so say, that the visitors could be crucial not in the way of just having further knowledge about what TM allegedly may have done, but one of them could be very likely more involved in Simones death?!
 
To get to the palm trees next to the bocce court (you can see the square in the grass where it used to be next to the palm trees) from the caravan park, you need to cross a large water drain and an arterial road. Not that there is much traffic late at night.
I think the caravan park now has tall fencing around it but I don’t think it did at the time.
But my point is that it’s still a decent way from the caravan park and might have taken more than one person to move her to that location, or one might use a shopping trolley or even a van to get closer if they were by themselves?
 

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Is there any reliable info, wether the prosecutors collected KS's and JM's DNA samples as well, or not?
 
The following video is showing the group leaving the Gollan Hotel at the crucial evening. It reflects some strinking circumstances IMO. I recommend to use a slo-mo, if not even picture to picture view, not to miss any small detail!

At first, let's try to fathom the "who is who and what is he doing" IMO:

1st second: KS either saying goodbye or even apologizing to the bartender who is said to have thrown them out. TM looking towards the hotel, Simone looks as if she had a kind of argue with JM, pointing her finger at him (hard to see, due to a very short sequence). JM doesn't even look at Simone at the time, although she seems to have a conversation with him.

3rd second: TM struggling with his stamina with his back towards Simone, obviously according to some kind of intoxication. Simone looks at him. JM starts to look back at Simone right now. KS either looks to the ground, or at JM.

4th second: JM trying to prevent TM from falling to the ground, although i would like to see a much more corpulent person than the JM shown in the recent reports. But who knows.

5th second: JM grabbing TM, moving him away into direction to the nearby street. KS following them. Simone stays in front of the hotel, pointing her finger to JM again (another very short sequence).

9th second: Now two groups IMO. Simone on the left and the other group almost splitted off to the right. Starting to walk away while Simone stays in front of the hotel. She looks like if she is doing something with her right foot. Probably destroying a cigarrette butt or something else. JM and TM heading towards the street, KS following in a one or two step distance, hands in her pants.

12th to 14th second: TM turnig around towards Simone and qickly turns back around towards the street. Keeps moving to that direction, togehter with JM. KS looking to the left, probably looking for a passing car. Simone looks and talks directly to KS, in some kind of tense posture.

15th second: Simone pointing her finger either towards the whole group or just KS again.

17th - 18th second: KS must have made some kind of reaction to that, because Simones posture changes, her arms and shoulders seem to be more relaxed, but in some way it looks as if she would build herself up against KS. Simone points her finger again at KS in some kind of furious way. Obviously a girl to girl fight with arguments.

19th - 23rd second: Simone keeps on arguing with KS.

24th - 28th second: TM heading towars Simone, taking her by the hand and even keeps distance. It looks, as if he tries to comfort or calm her down her in some way. In the other way, JM and KS seem to approach Simone a little bit more "progressive" IMO.

29th second: KS entering the "comfort zone" between TM and Simone with her arms raised and her hand on her head in a kind of offensive way. JM looking directly towards Simone. TM keeps on holding Simones hand until the video stops.

So to me and my point of view, this video shows just three of four people from the group having an argument or showing kind of "progressive" behavior. Mostly Simone and KS. TM looks very drunk or wasted in another way, but it looks like if he tried to comfort her in a situation, she had arguments with KS and probably JM.

TM was hardly able to walk without stumbling, if not being supported by JM. To me it looks, as if he even seems to have tried to defuse the situation. I know TM's condition shown in the video very well. Hard to fathom, that he would be able to commit the almost perfect crime some minutes or hours later. Or to remember anything from that evening correctly.

But i would like to see a heated confrontation between Simone and the german visitors, one of them being a close family member of TM. But the whole sequence seems to be too short, to be able to evaluate the situation finally at last.


 
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My assumption about TM's strange behavior, especially the infamous shrine is, that everything could have happened that night, but he just doesn't know that much anymore. He seems to be really really wasted in the video.

Maybe he had some kind of psychosis and killed her by "accident", maybe everything else is possible. I'm still asking myself, why simone has been found naked. To be that smart to strip her out of her clothes to avoid most of the possible traces doesn't fit to his constitution that night IMO. And if she slept in the tents close to the visitors over the last days because of his unusual behavior, why should she use the van that night, after TM was totally hammered and she argued with the group? So many questions IMO.

Maybe she took a late shower on the campsite lavatory and has been attacked there in the night. The question is, who did it?

Maybe she told all of the group members, that she's going to break up this "trip of their lifetimes" or will report everybody to the police because of the drug abuse? So every other member of the group likely has a kind of motive...
 
According to recent reports from germany, the australian authorities issued arrest-warrants against KS and JM. But due to legal reasons, there won't be an extradition to australia. But there hasn't been a request for legal assistance yet as well, what's kind of odd....

 
According to the media article, this man was seen in the vicinity of the Lismore Caravan park around the same time Simone disappeared on the 11th of February 2005

The media article suggested that police wanted to speak with the man and that over 30 people contacted the police with information relating to this comfit photo.

"Look, we believe this man might be able to help us with our inquiries and we'd be urging either this man or any member of the public who might have been in the vicinity of the caravan park at the time to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," she said.""


Does anyone hold any clues as to why this man never continued to be a public focal point of the investigation?



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According to the media article, this man was seen in the vicinity of the Lismore Caravan park around the same time Simone disappeared on the 11th of February 2005

The media article suggested that police wanted to speak with the man and that over 30 people contacted the police with information relating to this comfit photo.

"Look, we believe this man might be able to help us with our inquiries and we'd be urging either this man or any member of the public who might have been in the vicinity of the caravan park at the time to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," she said.""


Does anyone hold any clues as to why this man never continued to be a public focal point of the investigation?



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A very interesting update and a very, very distinctive comfit...
 
Is there any reliable info, wether the prosecutors collected KS's and JM's DNA samples as well, or not?
Here is a summary of what I have found from information available to the public regarding DNA evidence. If anyone has anything to add or amend please jump in:

1. Suckfuell mtDNA on the palm fonds at the scene of the crime.

According to the book Have you seen Simone?: "The German geneticist had discovered mtDNA that matched the Suckfuells' sequence on the branches of the palm that had covered Simone's body."

2. Blonde rootless hair found on the chicken wire gate.

"This is likely to be a blonde, rootless hair found on a chicken wire gate next to where Simone's body had been found. The hair initially failed to produce any DNA, but years later, advances in molecular biology meant it was now possible to find something else: mitochondrial DNA."


3. DNA of an unknown male found on a black item by police as part of 53 DNA samples ( black item could be the top Simone was wearing in the Golan Hotel CCTV footage).

"Describing the police statement of facts in the case as 'an overstatement and exaggeration', the lawyer said his client had supplied DNA and had been excluded from 53 samples cited in the police case.

The DNA of an 'unknown male' had also been found on a 'black item' by police near the crime scene."

 
To get to the palm trees next to the bocce court (you can see the square in the grass where it used to be next to the palm trees) from the caravan park, you need to cross a large water drain and an arterial road. Not that there is much traffic late at night.
I think the caravan park now has tall fencing around it but I don’t think it did at the time.
But my point is that it’s still a decent way from the caravan park and might have taken more than one person to move her to that location, or one might use a shopping trolley or even a van to get closer if they were by themselves?

The attached news article states that Simone's black tank top was found on Uralba street the day she was reported missing.

Uralba street separates the caravan park and the location where Simone's body was found.

It's likely to be the same black item which was found to have DNA of an unknown male (the DNA does not belong to the Suckfuells' or Jens Martin).

Simone's white pants and red skirt were not located.
 

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