Found Deceased UK - Sarah Everard, 33, London - Clapham Common area, 3 March 2021 *Arrests* #13

[Newthoughts]

Yes, all of those are indications. The hyoid bone (front of neck below chin) is really difficult to break accidentally so is often seen as a strong sign of strangulation / neck compression.

It doesn't always break tho. She was young and healthy and therefore the hyoid bone would be less likely to break.

 

[Newthoughts]

I’m guessing here, but I’d say not necessarily. E.g., a knife may have been used, but not to such an extent that the wound would typically be life-ending.

I’d also be interested to know what impact (if any) not being able to prove cause of death has on the prosecution’s case.

The prosecution doesn't have to prove cause of death but it does allow the defence to introduce all sorts of alternatives such as suicide. In an awful way the fact her body was found in a bag will make that harder for him.

 

[Seattle1]

Sarah Everard: Met Police officer Wayne Couzens due at Old Bailey

16 March 2021

A Met Police constable is set to appear at the Old Bailey accused of murdering and kidnapping Sarah Everard.

The 33-year-old marketing executive vanished as she walked home alone in Clapham on 3 March. Her body was found a week later in Kent woodland.

Wayne Couzens, 48, of Deal, was charged on Friday and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

He is expected to appear before the Recorder of London in courtroom 10 of the Old Bailey at 10:00 GMT.

[..]

Ms Everard's body was found a week later inside a builder's bag in woodland in Ashford and was identified through dental records.

A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has been released.

An inquest into the death of Ms Everard is likely to be opened later this week, Kent County Council has said.

 

[Delboy]

Found this info - which more or less confirms SE did not know the accused. For anyone who still thinks that is a theory. It's behind a paywall but the info is at the start which is readable.

"
Police sources have told The Times that the investigation is being treated as a “stranger attack”.

Detectives have spent days searching for digital evidence but have found no link between Everard, 33, and Wayne Couzens, 48, the diplomatic protection officer who was arrested on Tuesday night on suspicion of her kidnapping and murder."

Sarah Everard’s attacker ‘was a stranger’ | News | The Times

Noteworthy for the use of the word 'lured'.

 

[Commoner]

I know this from having sat on an inquest at a coroner's court some time ago. You would open an inquest to log that someone has been killed, to formally identify someone as having died and then also, where possible, to allow the release of the body for burial. You would then adjourn it at this point to allow criminal proceedings to take place.

There is CPS guidance here that goes into a lot of detail and is quite interesting Coroners | The Crown Prosecution Service (cps.gov.uk)

Is it not the case that if the accused is self harming, and if he succeeds, there can be no trial, as there would in those circumstances be no-one to try?

And then in that case it falls to the Coroner to establish how Sarah came by her death - not just cause but all the circumstances that led to it. And all the evidence that had been gathered for a criminal trial can be put in to a Coroner's court too.

IANAL and the above is a lay understanding of it - very happy to be corrected if this point is wrong. (I'm posting in case this sort of British procedural detail isn't so familiar to US based people)

 

[Stella123]

Noteworthy for the use of the word 'lured'.

Well spotted "Sarah Everard was lured off the street and had no connection with whoever abducted her, detectives believe."

Sarah Everard’s attacker ‘was a stranger’ | News | The Times

 

[lensamps]

That's often been my thought! Get called to jury service - and find out it's a case you've been following online and have to excuse yourself because of your crime sleuthing!

Genuine question from someone who doesn't really understand how this jury system works. If you're called up for jury duty and randomly allocated onto this trial for example, do they ask you if you've heard about it in the media? I think I've heard that's what happens and you get dismissed if you have read about it, but with a case such as this would there be ANYONE who hasn't read details in the press?

 

[Stella123]

BBC link here about today's hearing - also mentions post mortem. Notably says no cause of death has been "released" - which leaves that open. IMO

"A Met Police constable is set to appear at the Old Bailey accused of murdering and kidnapping Sarah Everard."

"He is expected to appear before the Recorder of London in courtroom 10 of the Old Bailey at 10:00 GMT."

"A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has been released.

An inquest into the death of Ms Everard is likely to be opened later this week, Kent County Council has said."



Sarah Everard: Met Police officer Wayne Couzens due at Old Bailey

 

[Seattle1]

Where I live, the Coroner can make a finding that a person can be charged based on the evidence.
Not convicted, but charged. That does not mean the person will be charged, it is still up to the
Director of Public Prosecutions.

It's the same in the US. Generally, the Coroner and/or Medical Examiner is responsible for determining both the manner and the cause of death. The classifications (manner of death) are natural, accident, suicide, homicide, undetermined, and pending.

If death ruled a homicide, the District Attorney's Office is responsible for reviewing police arrest reports, deciding whether to bring criminal charges against arrested persons and prosecute the criminal cases in court.

 

[Commoner]

Having to ID her from dental records gives sway to the body being in a bad way, probably a due to a fair amount of decomposition, but there may also of course be what injury was inflicted on it post-mortem.

Wouldn't the likeliest cause be action of animals? Bound to be rats in areas like the way that site has been described. JMO

 

[Mrs Marple]

THE TIMES reported that the tunnels were blocked by a metal gate with a new padlock.

They get broken into by kids a lot.

 

[Emmalt]

Could it be that she has many injuries and they can't work out which one actually caused her death therefore inconclusive?

With the strangulation if she was a whole intact body regardless of decomposition state I think they would be able to tell if she was strangled given the pointers someone else pointed out that would show strangulation occurred.

Unfortunately if she was burned/chemically destroyed and only remains of bones etc left then finding her cause of death would be quite difficult JMO

 

[Emmalt]

Could it be that she has many injuries and they can't work out which one actually caused her death therefore inconclusive?

With the strangulation if she was a whole intact body regardless of decomposition state I think they would be able to tell if she was strangled given the pointers someone else pointed out that would show strangulation occurred.

Unfortunately if she was burned/chemically destroyed and only remains of bones etc left then finding her cause of death would be quite difficult JMO

 

[Delboy]

Well spotted "Sarah Everard was lured off the street and had no connection with whoever abducted her, detectives believe."

Sarah Everard’s attacker ‘was a stranger’ | News | The Times

Whilst it may just be a throwaway word, 'lured' means:

to persuade someone to do something or go somewhere by offering them something.

 

[Commoner]

I think it means it was a preliminary autopsy.
A full autopsy would take several weeks, most likely.
Samples need to be sent to laboratories etc.

Or it could be a misreport - 'The Grauniad' got that nickname because of a history of mistakes (usually little ones) and it seems to be the only paper which has carried this. No statement about it that I could find yesterday on Met Police page. I don't rule out this being a straight garble of nothing being said about PM results at the magistrates court with there is nothing to say/it's inconclusive

 

[Stella123]

A bit more about Sandwich investigation.

"Multiple police vans have been sighted in the town and several cordons have been erected."

Met Police pictured at scene of new Sarah Everard search site

 

[Mrs Marple]

Found this info - which more or less confirms SE did not know the accused. For anyone who still thinks that is a theory. It's behind a paywall but the info is at the start which is readable.

"
Police sources have told The Times that the investigation is being treated as a “stranger attack”.

Detectives have spent days searching for digital evidence but have found no link between Everard, 33, and Wayne Couzens, 48, the diplomatic protection officer who was arrested on Tuesday night on suspicion of her kidnapping and murder."

Sarah Everard’s attacker ‘was a stranger’ | News | The Times

It's been brought up a few times but there are still a few who think her friends and family won't be aware of all her contacts.

I just don't see how their worlds could have collided before that moment. If she planned on meeting him, where is the contact in her phone or emails? Why did she tell her friend she was going home and appear to be walking straight there? Not aimed at you but it's a bit boring re-hashing the same stuff because some people can't or won't read all the previous threads.

 

[Gibbo214]

Genuine question from someone who doesn't really understand how this jury system works. If you're called up for jury duty and randomly allocated onto this trial for example, do they ask you if you've heard about it in the media? I think I've heard that's what happens and you get dismissed if you have read about it, but with a case such as this would there be ANYONE who hasn't read details in the press?

I have served on two juries and I was never asked if I had read about it in the media. I have been asked if anything would prevent me from looking at the case with an open mind.

 

[inkerman84]

Sarah Everard: Met Police officer Wayne Couzens due at Old Bailey

16 March 2021

A Met Police constable is set to appear at the Old Bailey accused of murdering and kidnapping Sarah Everard.

The 33-year-old marketing executive vanished as she walked home alone in Clapham on 3 March. Her body was found a week later in Kent woodland.

Wayne Couzens, 48, of Deal, was charged on Friday and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

He is expected to appear before the Recorder of London in courtroom 10 of the Old Bailey at 10:00 GMT.

[..]

Ms Everard's body was found a week later inside a builder's bag in woodland in Ashford and was identified through dental records.

A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has been released.

An inquest into the death of Ms Everard is likely to be opened later this week, Kent County Council has said.

I read somewhere that today’s hearing at 10.00 is by Videolink. Can anybody confirm this?

 

[Stella123]

Or it could be a misreport - 'The Grauniad' got that nickname because of a history of mistakes (usually little ones) and it seems to be the only paper which has carried this. No statement about it that I could find yesterday on Met Police page. I don't rule out this being a straight garble of nothing being said about PM results at the magistrates court with there is nothing to say/it's inconclusive

Agree BBC today a bit clearer on that

Sarah Everard: Met Police officer Wayne Couzens due at Old Bailey

"A post-mortem examination has taken place but no cause of death has been released."

Which is basically the same as was said at Saturday's Magistrates hearing.

Sarah Everard: Police investigating disappearance tracked hire car from Dover