South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #2

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H says he took swab from knife on bed from where the knife lay.Judge ends witness time in stand. Next witness coming.

Next witness is a show print expert: Danie van der Westhuizen. Testifying in English.

Vdw is a Captain at SAPS, stationed in Cape Town. Fingerprint expert,photographer & shoe print analyst.

Vdw says he is called in for more serious cases, where there are many facets involved.

Henri sits forward today, pen in hand with an open book to take notes in. He seems present and engaged.
 
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Vdw was called to #VanBreda family home. Did not enter at first, waited for investigation to take place first.entered later in the day.

Vdw was asked to guide the investigators through the shoe print evidence. How to document, what to look for, etc.

Vdw: Looked at patterns from entrance throughout house. Told Hitchcock to mark out the footsteps which are most clear.

Vdw says it is not necessary to mark every footstep, just the most clear ones.
 
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After the scene, vdw received digital copy of photographs and received shoes from people on crime scene. Began comparing.

Judge Desai seems to be very interested in the shoe print testimony, repeatedly asking about paramedics shoes,etc.

This could be a big moment in the case.
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 7m7 minutes ago

finger print, draftsmen, photographer and shoe print analyst

VDW we do more serious crimes, serious assets involved and it will take time to investigate these crimes

On 27 Jan I was summoned to crime scene to assist team on the scene to provide stock and equipment

VDV: I was driving the crime scene vehicle loaded with stock, chemicals etc I only entered the scene later that afternoon

VDV: they wanted me to assist them with the shoe print evidence. I entered wearing full PPE- shoe covers one piece overall
 
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Vdw compared footsteps. Pattern & size of shoe. Damage to shoe will show up on footstep.

Two huge bags of what seems to be shoes have arrived in court. Possibly evidence to be used in court.

Of the 38 shoe prints marked in house, 36 were linked to 6 different shoes given to vdw to compare.
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 7m7 minutes ago

VDW we do more serious crimes, serious assets involved and it will take time to investigate these crimes

On 27 Jan I was summoned to crime scene to assist team on the scene to provide stock and equipment

VDV: I was driving the crime scene vehicle loaded with stock, chemicals etc I only entered the scene later that afternoon

VDV: they wanted me to assist them with the shoe print evidence. I entered wearing full PPE- shoe covers one piece overall

Guided them by indentifying patterns of the shoe prints found on the scene

VDV: identified the patterns on the crime scene and told Hitchcock to mark out VDV: just mark out the clearest not necessary to mark out all the same prints
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 6m

V: I could follow the trail of a person walking in certain directions, there was more than one person

VDV: after scene i received digital copy of images on cd I printed it and I received shoes from people on the scene

Adv B: Tell the court how you tell the court how you identify the shoe print

VDW: class of the shoe size of the shoe, patterns, look for damage on shoe that will leave unique identifiable characteristics

VdW Only 38 were identified to be compared, I could compare 36 of the shoe prints. 36 could be linked to shoes I had received
 
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He was given shoes from paramedics on scene, familys shoes, first responder, anyone who was in house during investigation.

Vdw says he will be cautious rather than say it is an exact match. He will rule it inconclusive if any doubt.

G:Were there any shoe prints that seemed markedly different to the others tested? Vdw: No. wow.

Vdw says the most common shoe print he finds at crime scene is converse all stars!
 
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Vdw could not find any shoe prints on scene which matched 'the most common found at usual crime scenes'

Now the bags are brought to the front of court. There are more than 20 shoes in evidence bags.

Vdw says when he received these bags, there were names on the bags. There are 9 pairs of shoes. Mostly magnum boots.
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 6m
I received 9 pairs of shoes, 6 had a match in 36 of the 38 shoe prints I had

VDW not all were identified as absolute, there are different grades of comparison

VDW: 1, not identifiable 2. inconclusive - class characteristics doesn't always correspond wrt the size

3. Possible- t could be another shoe that made that print 4.Probable and very Probable where there is unique characteristics sound

VdW Inconclusive-if the size differs and if I have 3/4 shoes of same pattern rather take caution6. Identified - that is when I am sure that it is the same and thats when there is a lot or enough damage on the shoe

VdW I measure between certain points on the sole of the shoe to check the size

VdW I don't use the size marking as indicated by the shoe manufacturer
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 6m

Any markedly different shoe prints?

VdW there were 2 marks documented as shoe prints but in my opinion it was not shoe prints. Found in bathroom upstairs

VDW most common shoe print I find on crime scenes is a converse shoe

VDW I didnt find a shoe print on the scene which resembled the most popular brands at the time.

Adv G: brings two bags into the court containing police evidence bags with shoes inside

VdW these were the shoes I received and used as comparison my hand writing is on the top of the bag

VdW when I received the bags there was also names on them. There appear to be 9 pairs of shoes
 
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Magnum boots belongs to security industry and emergency services usually.

One pair of shoes was a casual shoe (jean shoes) and another pair was a pair of Bronx shoes.

NOTE: we haven't heard about the 2 remaining prints found at scene. They might be inconclusive or vdw was unable to use prints.

Vdw reading from his report now.
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 6m

VdW most of shoes are Magnum boots, Field boot and big one worn by member of fire brigade I presume FAL brand -safety boot

VdW Who wears Magnum? Its normally security industry and emergency services

VdW -smaller shoe is normal shoe one would wear to office or casual wear, a jean shoe, other was black pair of bronze shoes

VdW: Compiled 2 statements, 2nd one I elaborated wrt the inconclusive finding that I made

VdW I differentiated between pairs by starting with printed images and placed together shoes with same pattern

VdW and started sorting them out like that

VdW: The letters if alphabet are letters I assigned to the specific shoe exhibit A to I which I compared with print found on scene
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 3m

VdW: I concluded that pattern and size of shoe corresponds with shoe B

Pattern and size of shoe print 25 and 35 with right shoe of exhibit D probably same

VdW now reading out the shoes which corresponded with footprints using numbers and letters

shoe print 33 and 34 couldn't be identified and in my opinion these were not shoe prints

Far more prints were identified as matches than inconclusive - will need to get a closer look at this report

VdW: the ones I don't think are shoe prints - he looks at the photos -
 
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All the shoe prints found on scene matched shoes sent to vdw except 2 shoe prints which could not be identified. Vdw says they could not be identified because in his opinion they are not shoe prints. They were found in bathroom.

Vdw also found shoe prints which were inconclusive. They were off by 1-2 mm so stayed on side of caution & said inconclusive.

Vdw says the inconclusive shoe prints had same pattern as shoes he received but couldn't confirm 100% they were the ones.
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 2m

VdW i found inconclusive due to size, on the scene the size may differ by the way its made but because it was off by 1 or 2 mm

VdW I rather made them inconclusive. Some photographs had 2 prints on an image and then I divided them into A&B

I identified matches on the pattern from the sole but inconclusive purely based on the size of the shoe been mm or 2 out
 
I think Tracey may have misheard here. I think she is referring to Bronx shoes which are another type of trainer/leisure shoe, sometimes used for running.
 
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Galloway sits down and Botha takes over for the x-examination.

Botha ask who decided which footprints to mark out. Vdw says warrant officer Hitchcock decided that.

Later that day, Vdw then accompanied Hitchcock to asses footprints already marked out.

Botha speaking about a shoe print that had a wavy pattern. Linked to Constable Mathus. Even defense expert agrees with vdw testimony of constable Mathus prints.

Botha asks why vdw concluded that it was the R shoe. B's expert says that's hard to say.
 
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Tracey Stewart‏ @Traceyams · 5m5 minutes ago

Adv B starts his cross-examination

Adv B: shoe prints found to possible be made by the same shoe

B: takes VdW to photos. You were on the scene and you pointed out the prints to mark? VdW- no I wasn't present when it was marked

VdW Hitchcock decided which prints to mark and take samples of.

B: When did you enter the scene? VdW: I said just make sure that you document all the different types of patterns

VdW on photo 248 I marked top as A and bottom as B. Adv B: you said its a wavy pattern possibly made by Constable Martin

VdW only Const Martin had this fairly distinct wavy pattern on his shoe

B: My shoe print analyst agrees with you based on the shoes given to you it could only have been Const. Martin
 
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