South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #3

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/IOL

 

[Tortoise]

Saw the pitbull bare his teeth in that last exchange. So unhappy that he didn't get the additional report of no DNA extracted from sample on laundry door. He needs a whole evening to examine that extra paragraph!

 

[JudgeJudi]

I've a new theory for how he may have attacked Marli. Only because her DNA doesn't seem to be on him unlike the others. It's possible Marli didn't hear the attacks or Henri shouted to her to stay in her room because it was dangerous to come out, while he attacked first Rudi in bed, then ambushed Martin, then attacked Teresa as she started to run back to her room. Then Henri calls Marli to come and help Teresa because the attacker has gone, Marli is crouching as if tending to Teresa when Henri attacks Marli so she is not standing and her blood spatter misses Henri because he can attack her at arms length rather than up close. Maybe that is why she didn't die, because the impact was reduced at a further range.

The pathologist, Dr Anthony, who conducted the post mortems, said Theresa had been facing her attacker when she was hit with the axe. She also had a defensive wound on her thumb which would suggest she was protecting her face/head from the attack.

 

[Tortoise]

So intruder was obviously wearing a hazmat suit.

 

[Tortoise]

The pathologist, Dr Anthony, who conducted the post mortems, said Theresa had been facing her attacker when she was hit with the axe. She also had a defensive wound on her thumb which would suggest she was protecting her face/head from the attack.

Yes, but she collapsed face down with her head pointed towards her room.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Does anyone know whether HvB will have been warned by his DT that the DNA results overwhelmingly indicate he is guilty. My legal knowledge is zilch but I know some of you are very knowledgeable.

I would suggest that once discovery had taken place, Botha would have told HvB that the State appeared to have a very strong case against him. However, if HvB maintains he is innocent, that's the end of it. Botha then has no choice but to defend his client.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

So intruder was obviously wearing a hazmat suit.

and there was another one or two intruders who stayed in kitchen, they wore them too? HvB heard them laughing and speaking in Afrikaans!

HvB hasn't a hope in hell!

 

[Fluffykins]

I'm starting to feel this is looking very promising. Apparently the intruder murdered three family members and almost killed a fourth but somehow left no DNA evidence. And yet Henri made no mention of the intruder wearing a PPC suit, gloves and a balaclava such as Otto described, did he?

 

[Tortoise]

I'm starting to feel this is looking very promising. Apparently the intruder murdered three family members and almost killed a fourth but somehow left no DNA evidence. And yet Henri made no mention of the intruder wearing a PPC suit, gloves and a balaclava such as Otto described, did he?

If I remember correctly he said the attacker was wearing dark clothing and a grey homemade face mask in his first statement, which became a balaclava in his plea statement. I don't remember if he mentioned gloves in his first statement.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I'm starting to feel this is looking very promising. Apparently the intruder murdered three family members and almost killed a fourth but somehow left no DNA evidence. And yet Henri made no mention of the intruder wearing a PPC suit, gloves and a balaclava such as Otto described, did he?

The state are pulling it altogether now and Botha objecting which I predict he will be doing here on out.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Yes, but she collapsed face down with her head pointed towards her room.

We don't know where precisely she was standing when HvB exited the bedroom or what happened when he saw her, but I bow to the professional opinion of the of Dr A.

 

[Interested Bystander]

Hehe Botha doesn't like that question. Unusual to not find DNA from unknown third party.

Very unusual. So someone clad in a forensic suit with mask, gloves, shoe covers enters the property, commits three murders and does not leave a trace but Botha goes on to say that it is possible they touched other items that were not swabbed. I think he has lost the plot and made himself look utterly stupid.

 

[Fluffykins]

If I remember correctly he said the attacker was wearing dark clothing and a grey homemade face mask in his first statement, which became a balaclava in his plea statement. I don't remember if he mentioned gloves in his first statement.

:laugh: @ "homemade face mask." Because you can always tell when they're home made! :hilarious:

 

[Tortoise]

and there was another one or two intruders who stayed in kitchen, they wore them too? HvB heard them laughing and speaking in Afrikaans!

HvB hasn't a hope in hell!

Maybe Henri tempted the dog into the laundry room with a piece of meat.

 

[Tortoise]

We don't know where precisely she was standing when HvB exited the bedroom or what happened when he saw her, but I bow to the professional opinion of the of Dr A.

I'm not disagreeing with Dr A, Henri could have run around Teresa and attacked her from the front as she tried to get away from the bedroom.

 

[Tortoise]

Very unusual. So someone clad in a forensic suit with mask, gloves, shoe covers enters the property, commits three murders and does not leave a trace but Botha goes on to say that it is possible they touched other items that were not swabbed. I think he has lost the plot and made himself look utterly stupid.

Oh yes, I forgot about the shoe covers. No unidentified shoe prints.

 

[Interested Bystander]

If Marli genuinely still has no memory of the event, all this evidence must be so traumatic for her.

 

[JudgeJudi]

RSBM

If it's not the knife that HvB used on himself, then there's a missing knife. In the dishwasher? Back in it's block? In a neighbour's bin (long gone) when HvB went out for a walk after he attacked the family?

Is there a knife with Marli's blood on it? If it's the one with Rudi's touch dna?!! :scared:

I'm confused just thinking about these knives. Is the touch dna just from kitchen usage?! :crazy:

There's something decidedly odd about the DNA on the knife because Henri's right thumb fingerprint was found 15cm from the tip of the blade of the knife. If they were able to ascertain this, how is it that they found Rudi's DNA and not Henri's?

On the question of fingerprints, HvB himself said that he wrested the axe from the attacker. To do this would require a firm grip, and yet he left no fingerprints on the axe.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

We don't know where precisely she was standing when HvB exited the bedroom or what happened when he saw her, but I bow to the professional opinion of the of Dr A.

Marli could defend herself better, she fought harder, so there could have been a blockage between her and HvB if he wasn't splattered with Marli's blood, that would be Teresa.
Marli was probably the most aware of what was happening, no wonder she's blocked it out.

End of trial, some clever person could attempt a re-enactment?

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Maybe Henri tempted the dog into the laundry room with a piece of meat.

Oh wow! I never thought of that, the dog, of course!