South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #1

[PrimeSuspect]

Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams 2m2 minutes ago

Adv B- u said hair from a black African would have a kink or curl? Yes @CapeTownEtc #vanbreda


(here we go, what Botha is looking for, that's why he's persisting, to find the intruder's hair)

 

[JudgeJudi]

Stewart also found medium hair on Marli's t-shirt. Henri's hair is classified as fine.

Botha - who did this belong to?

Stewart says he can't say, concedes it's "unknown hair".

Botha says hair from black Africa people was described as kinked. So-called coloured people have as wide a variety in hair as Caucasian people. Stewart says could appear Caucasian to naked eye, but can see difference under microscope.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ay-12-20170516

 

[JudgeJudi]

Asks about Exhibit I, two hairs which have roots. Stewart says it was sent for DNA analysis. No confirmation of outcome was received.

Returning to Marli's underwear, hair found with "presumable root". Botha asks if sent for DNA analysis. Stewart says as far as he knew, all relevant samples were sent for DNA analysis.

Botha - if DNA analysis outcome had excluded his client, it would place a very big question mark next to the contents of Stewart's statement. Stewart says he agrees, but reiterates he did what he was required to do.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ay-12-20170516

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 3m3 minutes ago @TimesLIVE

Botha summarises: Hair in Marli's hand might not have been forceably removed. Col: yes. If you saw length of Henris hair would...would you have ruled him out? Colonel: No, I would still have checked it under microscope. Court adjourned for 15mins.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

zzzzzzzz here too! I have to get up and walk around the room to stay awake right now!

This is absolutely pitiful AND boring! Botha wants HvB's hair ruled out in all instances but a suggestion a black hair might belong to a black man, he'll grab onto with both hands, then Stewart is brilliant! Phfft!

 

[JudgeJudi]

Court breaks for 15 minutes.

 

[Tortoise]

Whose hairs could be at the scene - family, house workers, police, paramedics, dog, transference onto clothes from friends..

 

[L2L]

Hope the prosecution get to address the length and photos if any exist of HvB's hair at the time of the murders. Also waiting for someone to wipe the supercilious smirk off HvB's fat fleshy face!

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Hope the prosecution get to address the length and photos if any exist of HvB's hair at the time of the murders. Also waiting for someone to wipe the supercilious smirk off HvB's fat fleshy face!

Yep, I can see that too! Awful, cold hearted human being!

Martin and Teresa sent him for a brain scan, no anomalies found at the time. They suspected something wasn't right, could be a personality disorder and drug abuse. No parent would organize a brain scan on a whim, they were seriously concerned. If only they realized there was a deadly person living under their roof.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Whose hairs could be at the scene - family, house workers, police, paramedics, dog, transference onto clothes from friends..

It might have to be up to Galloway to suggest these other people because Botha won't if it's a black frizzy hair strand.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Botha says Stewart yesterday confirmed that hair examination is used more as a tool to exclude persons. Given objective evidence in photos, of his client on morning of incident - obvious short hair he had at the time - Botha asked what were the chances that the hairs came from Henri. Conceded chances were nil.

Stewart stands by his evidence.

Next witness is Stephanie Op'T Hof.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ay-12-20170516

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 6m6 minutes ago

new witness arrives: Stefani Op't-Hof. Opt-Hof lived in De Zalze Estate opposite the van Breda's home. Opt-Hof rented the home in De Zalze for 2years. They moved out De Zalze in December 2015. Opt-Hof says De Zalze Estate is one of the safest places in Stellenbosch even though they paid 'too much'. Opt-Hof was present the evening the murders happened. She put kids to bed at 8pm. She had work to do-kept her busy through night.

she faced the van Breda home while working. At 10pm she heard loud voices. Mens voices and she thought it was a fight.10-12am. she then went to bed at 12am. When she first heard the shouting at 10pm, she got a fright. Men voices having an argument. she had never heard shouting before this incident.

@TimesLIVE


(Martin and Rudi arguing with HvB?)

 

[JudgeJudi]

She lived at 10 Goske Street. Rented the property.

Her husband works overseas. She has two sons and wanted to feel safe. She rented for two years - one year in Goske Street. Op't Hof moved out in November 2015.

Galloway: how safe did you feel those two years?

Very safe, considers it the safest place in Stellenbosch. Just lived there for the safety.

She says she didn't know the Van Bredas. She was at home the night before and morning of the murder.

The night I put the childrne to bed at 20:00 and had work to do. [She is an interior decorator.]

I had my laptop open in my living room. I worked the entire night. Number 12 right across from me.

At about 10:00 I heard a lot of loud voices, mens voices talking very loudly. Sounded like an argument. From 10:00 until after 12:00.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ay-12-20170516

 

[JudgeJudi]

Went to sleep at 12:10.

It started at 10:00, was so loud I got a fright. Got up and looked in the direction where noise was coming from. It was loud men's voices sounding like having an argument.

Never heard something like that at De Zalze before I went to sleep at 12:10. I have a monitor which alerts me if he [her child] cries. It wakes me up.

I heard the tick just before 4:00. I got up, no lights on, walked to his room. Tried to calm him down. He was more awake than usual. He wasn't going to sleep again, so took him to my bed.

In my room, my oldest son was also awake and in my bed. He never wakes up at night.

She didn't hear any strange sounds or noise.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ay-12-20170516

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 3m3 minutes ago @TimesLIVE


Opt-Hof went to bed at 00:10 but was woken up by baby monitor at 3am. She got up & didn't switch any lights on to tend to baby. baby was restless and took baby to her bed. Her oldest son was also in her bed surprisingly as he was never awake at that time. Opt-Hof never heard anything from next door at that 3am when she woke up. She didn't hear any shouting after the night of murders. Opt-Hof knew it was 10pm that the shouting began as she checked her phone. State sits down. Defence Adv Combrink takes over.

Combrink asks why they left De Zalze Estate. Did you leave because you thought it was dangerous to live there. Opt-Hof says no. now turning towards evidence. Aerial photos of estate. photographs establishing where Opt-Hof resided at time of murders.
Combrink says how would you know where the angry voices came from? It could have been from garages opposite your house.

Combrink going through what was in between Opt-Hof and the van Breda home. Fence, small garden.

She did not hear what the voices said. She did not know van Breda or what they sounded like.

(is the time frame right for the crime, maybe it happened before 12 am?)

 

[JudgeJudi]

After the murders, she never heard a similar argument.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ay-12-20170516

 

[Interested Bystander]

It sounds as though the children may have been woken by more shouting but mum wasn't - maybe her bedroom is at the back of the house? I wonder whether we will ever know that. However, this would be impossible to suggest with someone like Botha on the case!

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 2m2 minutes ago @TimesLIVE

Combrink trying to put question to witness about voices. Judge says get to the point.

how would you distinguish between TV sound and men shouting. Could you differentiate? Opt-Hof says the TV wasn't on.
Combrink says he is asking a theoretical question.How would you differentiate from TV programme where there is fighting and an actual fight? Opt-Hof says she would hear the TV consistently. Not intermittently like on the night of murders.



Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams 3m3 minutes ago

then how would you know if it is voices from a tv or a person? Op't Hof is not getting this line of questioning, what do you mean hearing tv voices? C says that he is not referring to this specific night- just in general?
@CapeTownEtc #vanbreda

 

[JudgeJudi]

Matthys Combrink cross examining.

Op't Hof says she didn't move as a result of the murders.

She says she couldn't hear what the men were saying to each other. Doesn't know how the family members' voices sounded.

She says her TV wasn't on.

Combrink alludes that it could have been a TV where loud voices were emanating from.

How to differentiate if it were people, or TV.

You know what hypothetical means, Combrink asks. She says she does.

How would you differentiate if it comes from TV or two real people, Combrink says.

Op't Hof replies the TV voices wouldn't continue, and there would be other snippets and advertisements.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...ay-12-20170516

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams 53s53 seconds ago

Galloway objects with this long confusing questioning and Desai agrees

@CapeTownEtc #vanbreda


Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 1m1 minute ago @TimesLIVE

Combrink continues to push issue that she wouldn't be able to distinguish between real voices & TV sound. Opt-Hof says it was real
had aggressive undertones, she didn't go outside because she didn't want to 'stick her nose into others business.' Opt-Hof gives a description of voices in fight. Seems aggressive. Combrink says he will get to the sounds she heard.