Found Deceased Australia - Stephanie Scott, 26, Leeton, NSW, 5 April 2015 - #1 *Arrests*

[metapraxis02]

I'm always a bit intrigued about what the brief of the defence lawyer is, in cases where it's blatantly obvious their client (VS) is guilty. Not sure how early on in the piece VS' solicitor came on board, but could it be the solicitor who is advising VS to not say anything??
What's the solicitor's role vis a vis the police investigation? Someone said upthread (Trooper?) that police are actually quite keen for a solicitor acting for the accused to come on board asap, if i understood that correctly?
But in this case, cdoul this tactic of just not saying anything be the only leg the 'defence team' have to stand on? It's like 'we all know VS did it' but if we just dont cooperate, perhaps the cops will not be able to put a seamless prosecution case together'??

Generally speaking, the advice I have always heard is - if you are guilty - never cooperate with the Police. Realistically, in a case like this it wouldn't make the slightest difference to his eventual sentence, and by not cooperating he reduces his chances of (further) incriminating himself.

 

[thylacine7]

I agree with all those saying that there shouldn't be too much focus on the game. For starters, it doesn't appear that VS has had any real input in the writing of the game - looks to me more like he was coming on board to help with the actual development.

Secondly, I really don't think people should be saying how "sick" it is to be interested in the genre of games. The horror genre is HUGE, and if you have teenage boys, or know anyone in their 20s, they likely play similar games.

Gaming is no longer something that is only done by nerdy, creepy guys in their basement. It's a mainstream activity which is done in probably most homes with a male between the ages of 15 - 40, and beyond. Look at the huge sales of the PS4, XBOX etc, and then there are the desktop gamers, as well as the smaller games which are played on mobile devices, like this one was going to be.

Someone mentioned how "sick" the "twins" were. We don't know ANYTHING about the other twin, and people shouldn't be calling him names. He has done nothing. And, we also do not know ANY circumstances of this crime, so people speculating that he's been hiding cameras in the school, stalking, planning and plotting to mutilate someone because of this game (which does not even sound like it was ever released) is kind of crazy to read.

I know that speculation is a huge part of this site, but honestly, I have to shake my head when reading some of the theories that people come up with!

Also, I am an avid horror movie enthusiast and horror fiction fan. I'm interested in crime and obviously everyone here is as well, or we would not be part of this site. It does not make someone capable of doing something horrific. Their mental illness does that. I could never so much as harm an insect (literally!), and I'd hate to be painted with a brush as being a sicko because I'm into horror films.

Just my 2c! (more like $2 in this case! LOL)

I always used to be called a sicko/psycho at school for the things I liked, my drawings and stories (I remember one of my trial HSC stories was a pretty graphic tale of someone being pursued by a forest by lustful men with machetes... you can imagine the denouement... my teacher gave it 10/10 but said I should probably steer clear of such content for the HSC as it could put off graders to the extent of lower marks even if they didn't intentionally mark it down haha), but I've just always loved horror films etc... I was never allowed to watch them and I used to absorb as much as possible from friends who were allowed to, and tell my parents constantly to prove how OK I was with that sort of thing. I tell my mum now that by being so against it she made me want it more and that's why I'm a gorehound and she gets infuriated haha.

Sorry... OT... nostalgia...

 

[Jmbr]

Just a screen shot of something I saw on Instagram.. Terrifying stuff. Whether the perpetrator was known to the victim or not is irrelevant.

I've missed a few days as this thread was going in a direction I didn't like, but glad to see its back as it should be!

 

[Oz Jen]

So many anomalies in this case….VS would have to know he would at the very least be routinely questioned. His actions appear at once both carefully planned and incredibly messy. I don't think he thought the laptop would ever be found yet he disposed of it very carelessly, not checking who may be watching. And why dispose of SS's laptop yet leave his personal computer at home?
I've also come across a photo posted of his car (again, I can't remember where but will backtrack to find it). The plates say "BY BIRI". I've googled myself into oblivion but cannot find anything other than a reference to 'Biri' being some anime evil creature - which apparently can be felled by a boomerang (and a dark poem written and submitted years too early for VS to have done it).
This is doing my head in. I really feel for SS's family and fiance and for VS's family.

 

[Belz]

So many anomalies in this case….VS would have to know he would at the very least be routinely questioned. His actions appear at once both carefully planned and incredibly messy. I don't think he thought the laptop would ever be found yet he disposed of it very carelessly, not checking who may be watching. And why dispose of SS's laptop yet leave his personal computer at home?

IIRC there was an article saying that the item recovered from the canal had Leeton High School markings on it so I think he probably realised there would be no way he would have one of those unless he got it from her...

 

[Ausgirl]

Not to take attention away from the victim here, but as we're talking games & gamers.. While I am a defender of the horror genre and game developers in general, I also think there's a massive problem with young people who have "issues" using game consoles and computers in lieu of real socialising with real people. I know kids from the outer realms of my daughter's social circle who I truly would not be surprised to see involved in a tragic case like this one day - and I don't say these things lightly. I mean every word of it. And they're glued to Xbox & the like (they used to obsess over other things, in times gone by, nowadays it;s games...) because they can't socialise in any acceptable way with other kids. It's probably a huge red flag, if the person isn't having any kid of a 'normal' life outside of that. And because these kids are *otherwise* wreaking havoc when not obsessing all day over the games (music/whatever they're obsessing on), I think the parents believe it's a good thing, keeps them passive.. out of trouble.. Well, it sometimes really does not.

Just another area in which people, parents, kids need help and awareness.

 

[Ausgirl]

I always used to be called a sicko/psycho at school for the things I liked, my drawings and stories (I remember one of my trial HSC stories was a pretty graphic tale of someone being pursued by a forest by lustful men with machetes... you can imagine the denouement... my teacher gave it 10/10 but said I should probably steer clear of such content for the HSC as it could put off graders to the extent of lower marks even if they didn't intentionally mark it down haha), but I've just always loved horror films etc... I was never allowed to watch them and I used to absorb as much as possible from friends who were allowed to, and tell my parents constantly to prove how OK I was with that sort of thing. I tell my mum now that by being so against it she made me want it more and that's why I'm a gorehound and she gets infuriated haha.

Sorry... OT... nostalgia...

Me, too, for all of this, except I had no parental constraints at all, past getting in trouble for staying up past bedtime when I was very young, to watch the Fri night horror shows. It was great when I found other kids like myself to share art & stories with.

 

[Oz Jen]

IIRC there was an article saying that the item recovered from the canal had Leeton High School markings on it so I think he probably realised there would be no way he would have one of those unless he got it from her...

Agree Belz. So why did he not just leave her laptop in her car/on her desk? Her car was left, her poor body was left, his computer was left.
Geez, I'd hate to be the legal who is representing him. So much in-your-face evidence and what have they got to put on the table? Diminished responsibility?

 

[Ausgirl]

I'm wondering if he scoured it for pics of her, personal stuff.. and then realised it could leave time stamp proof of his activity. Otherwise, no clue on why he'd do such a thing. Maybe he';d sent her emails.. could be part of why 'gathering evidence' might take weeks.

 

[Belz]

Agree Belz. So why did he not just leave her laptop in her car/on her desk? Her car was left, her poor body was left, his computer was left.
Geez, I'd hate to be the legal who is representing him. So much in-your-face evidence and what have they got to put on the table? Diminished responsibility?

Ha! I agree! There are just too many things LE have against him, I am really struggling to see what would be in his favour?
I'm not sure why he went to that effort.. maybe there are photos on there too? :thinking:

 

[Eloise]

You don't have a lawyer only to try and prove your innocence. Often guilt is already beyond doubt. But there ate other factors like sentencing that a lawyer can help with. Plus on a system level it means ensuring individuals with no legal knowledge aren't left to face the might of the state alone. It ensures everyone gets a fair trial. That we give everyone that right no matter what they've done is what makes our legal system great.

this isn't exactly how I wanted to word this post but im typing on my phone. I'm sure y'all get my point.

 

[Xantara]

So many anomalies in this case….VS would have to know he would at the very least be routinely questioned. His actions appear at once both carefully planned and incredibly messy. I don't think he thought the laptop would ever be found yet he disposed of it very carelessly, not checking who may be watching. And why dispose of SS's laptop yet leave his personal computer at home?
I've also come across a photo posted of his car (again, I can't remember where but will backtrack to find it). The plates say "BY BIRI". I've googled myself into oblivion but cannot find anything other than a reference to 'Biri' being some anime evil creature - which apparently can be felled by a boomerang (and a dark poem written and submitted years too early for VS to have done it).
This is doing my head in. I really feel for SS's family and fiance and for VS's family.

That's interesting. I should also go back and see if i can find a pic of that ute. When i looked at it, I noticed the front number plate was a bit dented or marked but to me it looked like the ute just had the standard issue yellow and black NSW plates on it with the rego number format of two letters - two numbers - two letters. I thought it might have been BY 81 RI.

 

[Xantara]

Not to take attention away from the victim here, but as we're talking games & gamers.. While I am a defender of the horror genre and game developers in general, I also think there's a massive problem with young people who have "issues" using game consoles and computers in lieu of real socialising with real people. I know kids from the outer realms of my daughter's social circle who I truly would not be surprised to see involved in a tragic case like this one day - and I don't say these things lightly. I mean every word of it. And they're glued to Xbox & the like (they used to obsess over other things, in times gone by, nowadays it;s games...) because they can't socialise in any acceptable way with other kids. It's probably a huge red flag, if the person isn't having any kid of a 'normal' life outside of that. And because these kids are *otherwise* wreaking havoc when not obsessing all day over the games (music/whatever they're obsessing on), I think the parents believe it's a good thing, keeps them passive.. out of trouble.. Well, it sometimes really does not.

Just another area in which people, parents, kids need help and awareness.

I understand that Relationships Australia (through the South Australia offices) are running a program specifically aimed at parents/children impacted by young people addicted to gaming!

 

[Xantara]

Agree Belz. So why did he not just leave her laptop in her car/on her desk? Her car was left, her poor body was left, his computer was left.
Geez, I'd hate to be the legal who is representing him. So much in-your-face evidence and what have they got to put on the table? Diminished responsibility?

Looking at it from a logistical perspective, he may have been lumbered with her ipad/laptop because he cornered her at a point when she was already finished in the staff room and had the device with her. Perhaps that is also why he had the keys on him - she had just locked up. If he'd just walked into the staffroom where she was working and dragged her away from her desk, I doubt he would have bothered to take the ipad and keys with him as extra unwanted baggage.

 

[IBR]

That's interesting. I should also go back and see if i can find a pic of that ute. When i looked at it, I noticed the front number plate was a bit dented or marked but to me it looked like the ute just had the standard issue yellow and black NSW plates on it with the rego number format of two letters - two numbers - two letters. I thought it might have been BY 81 RI.

That's correct. the number plate is BY 81 RI.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-...-divers-pull-laptop-from-leeton-canal/6383458

 

[Oz Jen]

Ha! I agree! There are just too many things LE have against him, I am really struggling to see what would be in his favour?
I'm not sure why he went to that effort.. maybe there are photos on there too? :thinking:

Yes, Belz. Agree with you. At the moment, I'm going with stalking. SS's upcoming wedding could have well been the trigger. He may have sent her a FR on FB, emailed her, God knows what.

 

[Oz Jen]

Just on the *advertiser censored* access issue in schools raised earlier in the thread: My husband is a teacher and cannot even access FB on his office computer, let alone anything questionable, however, not all schools are the same. Just last week, the head of prestigious private school Geelong College stood down amid revelations he was caught watching *advertiser censored* on his office computer. It was the last day of Term before the Easter break here in Victoria. The photo was uploaded to Snapchat. http://www.news.com.au/national/vic...rtiser censored*/story-fnii5sms-1227298029714

 

[Freya1977]

That's interesting. I should also go back and see if i can find a pic of that ute. When i looked at it, I noticed the front number plate was a bit dented or marked but to me it looked like the ute just had the standard issue yellow and black NSW plates on it with the rego number format of two letters - two numbers - two letters. I thought it might have been BY 81 RI.

I noticed the plates too, but I'm thinking he probably just inherited them when he purchased that car. I doubt he would have the money for custom plates when moving to a new country and working part time as a cleaner. They cost a fortune.

 

[Oz Jen]

That's correct. the number plate is BY 81 RI.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-...-divers-pull-laptop-from-leeton-canal/6383458

Just checked again. You're right. Thank you for the correction. These old eyes ain't what they used to be…

 

[Xantara]

My thinking currently is that he ambushed her at the school near the car. That is why his haul included her car, her ipad, her keys. If think he may have lain in wait for her in the playground/car park (wherever she parked her car). He could have used some excuse for being there like he was actually scheduled to work that day.
We have not heard what the forensic examination of her car turned up, have we? Did it have his DNA in it? Her bloodstains? I think they both left the school in her car and headed for his place. I can only imagine that he pulled that off by, either, asking her for a lift home (in which case she would not have been under duress until they arrived at his place) or he bound and gagged her and drove her car (with her in it) back to his place. As we have heard nothing about blood in her car, I don't think he fatally wounded her immediately. If they headed for his place, I reckon he might have raped her there and then stabbed her or something after that. Then dumped her body into his car, hence the mention of blood in *his* car, from where he then transported her to the forest and dropped the other items along the way there or back.
And I'm imagining mum and big bro would have been away Easter Sunday-Monday for him to have free range of the home.