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

[PrimeSuspect]

:behindbar

I must say he looked recently showered in that picture in the ambulance, apart from his few blood drips the rest of his skin had a fresh pink glow about it.

He did look freshly showered, maybe even washed his hair? His boxer shorts like his socks, clean from the drawer, only soiled with his own blood after the self-inflicted wounds? The urine on his shorts could have happened while nicking himself with the knife? He had nearly 4 hours to perform this and more. And the dog, Sasha, was she locked in the pantry with treats after he got the axe and knife?

The entire crime scene upstairs.

Thanks JJ.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/thelionmutters

Mr Idiosyncratic‏ @thelionmutters 8m8 minutes ago @IOL

Here's the initial statement Henri made to Sergeant Malan which is now admissible following Judge Desai's ruling.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/thelionmutters

 

[PrimeSuspect]

26-1-15 - Monday

6.30 pm - HvB and Martin having drinks, Rudi went for a run, Teresa and Marli somewhere in the house.

7.15 - 8.00 pm - Dinner

9.00 pm - Marli goes to her room, not long after Martin (Teresa too?) went to bed.

11.00 pm - Rudi goes to bed.

HvB on internet - laptop in the shared bedroom, watches One Piece until 3 a.m and then goes to bathroom/toilet.


Okay, the big obvious mistake!

The argument heard by the neighbour which lasted between 10 pm and 11.50 pm. HvB said it couldn't be an argument, it was the T.V, he, Rudi and Martin were watching Star Trek 2 with cinema sound.

How can he remember precisely who drank what and so forth but not the 2 hrs watching Star Trek 2, not until a neighbour is a witness who heard the argument?!!!

HvB claims he didn't know his family had an axe?!! And yet visitors to the home had seen it in the scullery!

 

[JudgeJudi]

It would have been spattered with loads of blood and obvious to see if it had been wiped or washed clean, IMO.

Agreed, but you have to prove he washed it. Galloway will love this. The big bad intruder ran away and HvB was the last person standing in the house. It can only have been him. Unless of course he says the bad man came back into the house while he was unconscious for a few hours, washed the knife, the axe and thought maybe the kitchen floor could do with a bit of a wash. After all that hard sweaty work the bad man then had a shower and left again. :floorlaugh:

 

[Tortoise]

<snipped>
HvB claims he didn't know his family had an axe?!! And yet visitors to the home had seen it in the scullery!

Loads wrong with his statement but this bit in particular is great.

Remember he is saying this the same day it happened. So unless someone's told him it was theirs, he has no reason at that stage to say "I did not know that we had an axe in the house"

 

[Tortoise]

OMG the tweeter I referred to earlier is now talking about the axe too. Promise it really isn't me!

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Loads wrong with his statement but this bit in particular is great.

Remember he is saying this the same day it happened. So unless someone's told him it was theirs, he has no reason at that stage to say "I did not know that we had an axe in the house"

Brilliant Tortoise, how would HvB know it was their axe if he didn't know it existed?!!

 

[Tortoise]

He's only got an hour watching TV too, but the film was apparently 2 hours long.

I wonder why he doesn't mention his mum going to bed. It could be because he didn't know what she had been doing while he was arguing with Rudi and his dad, and left it out in case they can show she had internet or phone activity in the study.

 

[JudgeJudi]

It is possible to remove all traces of blood and DNA from a weapon, and if HvB had investigated this he would have known how to do it. While it&#8217;s possible, I think it&#8217;s a leap too far.

Most people know that forensics involves many different kinds of evidence, whether that is blood evidence or a weapon. However, the evidence can become degraded from a number of things such as time, heat or the use of bleach. Unfortunately, even advanced forensic techniques can be challenged by the use of a common kind of bleach found in many homes.

There are two kinds of bleach that are found in the majority of cleaning products within the home. There are bleaches that are primarily chlorine and there is also oxygen bleach.

Chlorine bleaches can remove a bloodstain to the naked eye but forensics experts can use substances such as luminol or phenolphthalein to show that haemoglobin is present. In fact, even if the shady criminal washed a bloodstained item of clothing 10 times, these chemicals could still reveal blood.

With oxygen bleach, the bleach has an oxidising agent, which could be a substance such as hydrogen peroxide. In these instances, haemoglobin is completely removed and can't later be detected. As expected, this presents a unique challenge for forensic scientists. Not only that, but it can significantly compromise an investigation and may mean that the evidence is not properly investigated and used in a trial.

http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk/detecting-evidence-after-bleaching.html

 

[Tortoise]

I'm still trying to work out how he danced with the intruder and managed to hit him from the front on the back of his right shoulder. Oh, yes he was a midget in J Desai's vocabulary.

 

[Interested Bystander]

I am on a lunch break and it seems the court has taken a long lunch break and nothing has happened in the last two hours. I will catch up properly sometime after 3pm UK time. I hope somebody gets their finger out!

 

[JudgeJudi]

RSBM

26-1-15 - Monday

6.30 pm - HvB and Martin having drinks, Rudi went for a run, Teresa and Marli somewhere in the house.

7.15 - 8.00 pm - Dinner

9.00 pm - Marli goes to her room, not long after Martin (Teresa too?) went to bed.

11.00 pm - Rudi goes to bed.

HvB on internet - laptop in the shared bedroom, watches One Piece until 3 a.m and then goes to bathroom/toilet.

From his Plea Explanation:

After the movie, Rudi, Dad and I said goodnight. We all usually slept with our bedroom doors open. Rudi and I turned off the lights and got into bed. Initially, Rudi and I were both busy on our laptops. However, Rudi was asleep shortly after getting into bed. I stayed up watching the animated show called One Piece.

 

[Tortoise]

Was he in the bathroom from 3am to 4:24am?

 

[JudgeJudi]

I think the mop was removed from where it was drying on the clothes line and taken into evidence. This makes me think it's the typical mop with long cotton strands. They take a long time to dry and if it was used to wash floors it would still have traces of blood in it. Precious said she hadn't cleaned the boys' bathroom, soooo if it was still wet/damp and had plenty of blood traces I think he's got a bit of explaining to do. She can always be recalled if necessary and asked if she had ever washed blood off the floors.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-van-breda-axe-murder-trial-day-22-20170601

 

[PrimeSuspect]

This person that attacked my family was a well bould person and he was strong, 1.86 meters tall and he had a dark jeans, black jumbo jersey, black cloves, homemade dark grey mask on. I only saw his eyes the time he was in the house. It will be difficult for me to identify the person if I see the persons whole face but will recognise his eyes and voice.

HvB's description of the attacker (spelling mistakes kept), also no mention of another one/two intruders. In plea statement he claims he heard them downstairs speaking afrikaans.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

We are back in court after the lunch break

H identifies a photo with a blue t shirt and pants

G: 118 - on the record is a grey towel and 119 is white socks

H: it should be exhibit 124 must be mistake from my side

G: u referred to a docket? H: it contains all the work I did, scene report, video report, evidence assembled, sketches

H: general descriptions and sketches of my explanations on the scene

G: an investigation diary? H: thats correct

The evidence I collect, I take to my office and book it in as SAP459/2/2015

It then remains there until forensic tests are done

G: other officers speak of SAP 13- H our office has SAP459 not 13 and theres an office where that evidence is stored

H: It remains with us before it goes to Plattekloof. In this case I took the evidence to Plattekloof

H: I handle my own evidence. I seal it and re-seal in bigger evidence bags. Everything in this matter was sealed properly

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

No further from Adv Galloway - Adv Botha to commence his cross examination of Hitchcock

Adv B: is going to ask a few leading questions and will ask to adjourn till monday

Adv B: You arrive at the scene and you go through the house, H-correct Adv B: around 1ish in afternoon? H- roughly

B: thereafter do u take photos first or collect forensic evidence

First photograph the scene then I use a 360 degree camera without any markings. Then identify points photograph with markings

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

H: when I first walk through, I just observe, alone, then I take photos I walk around myself

H: at that time I am the only person who is walking around that house

H: I set up 360 degree camera and take footage of the scene

H: thereafter we look what evidence we should focus on, so a wide angle photo and close up photos

 

[JudgeJudi]

Hitchcock returns to the stand.

The evidence collected at the scene are booked in. Guarded until forensic report has been assembled. Then sent to the laboratory.

Adv Botha cross-examining.

Hitchcock confirms he made a video of the scene at about 1pm. The procedure is he videos the scene before its marked, then takes photos. Also did a 360 recording. Identify certain points where there is forensic evidence, then photograph again.

He does this alone.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-van-breda-axe-murder-trial-day-22-20170601