South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #4

[JudgeJudi]

In photo of #VanBreda in ambulance, he has dark rings under eyes, bruise at left eye, looks considerably "dull" to him, Dr Butler says. Consistent with someone recovering from seizure. Appearance is similar to patients in postictal state.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

The dark circles under his eyes are now more pronounced than ever ...

[url]https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/you-south-africa/20170928/281642485351194[/URL]

Are we now to assume that HvB has been having daily seizures while in court.

The PressReader article describes his behaviour in court. The unknown man who doesn’t wish to disclose his name can only be his uncle as he says that HvB “struggles to sleep at night”.

 

[patCee]

Perhaps uncle knows this by staying awake at night himself - very wise I would say, hmm!

 

[Interested Bystander]

You're an absolute gem IB. I've spent hours searching for my post without success.

The disgusting state of the home where HvB and Danielle were living:

Their guest house routine is stock standard for the couple. They rise late and spend the day in each other’s pockets, says a reliable source, seldom socialising with friends or family, and rarely getting out much.

“They were possibly our most filthy disgusting guests we’ve ever had,” said the Kommetjie landlord. “I don’t think they ever washed a thing in the room. It looked like they were eating off dirty plates. Normally, we’d send the housekeeper in to clean up but I couldn’t subject her to that mess. I thought it was possible they had been evicted from their previous place. We had to give the place a really good spring clean after they left”.

The Big Bay landlord was as unequivocal. “I’m so glad they were out of here. They were filthy pigs. The place was like a pig sty. It was filthy. Rubbish that you and I would throw in a bin was all over the floor and there was leftover food all over the place”.

This is not unusual for people who are heavily into drugs.

It sounds as though they were messing with drugs then. Probably 'out of it' with the drugs - somewhat typical of a drug users "den".

 

[L2L]

https://www.iol.co.za/weekend-argus/van-bredas-clashed-over-drug-use-12234537

Book released this week reveals Van Breda family clashed over Henri's drug use.

No surprises there!

 

[JudgeJudi]

Brilliant copy from my colleague @tanyafarber highlighting key moments in the #vanbreda 63-day trial. Video from court included too. What a trial this has been&thanks to all who followed, liked, shared&added insights. I'll see you on February 12 2018


https://twitter.com/AJGMolyneaux?

You can go straight to the article here

And it is indeed a brilliant article.

 

[tmar]

Brilliant copy from my colleague @tanyafarber highlighting key moments in the #vanbreda 63-day trial. Video from court included too. What a trial this has been&thanks to all who followed, liked, shared&added insights. I'll see you on February 12 2018


https://twitter.com/AJGMolyneaux?

You can go straight to the article here

And it is indeed a brilliant article.

Thanks again.
Just great!

 

[JudgeJudi]

https://www.iol.co.za/weekend-argus/van-bredas-clashed-over-drug-use-12234537

Book released this week reveals Van Breda family clashed over Henri's drug use.

No surprises there!

Relying mostly on input from Martin’s twin brothers, Bailey and Andre, he paints a picture of the family’s uneasiness with the way Henri conducts himself, and his spiralling legal costs. On a number of occasions in the book, the mounting tension between the Van Bredas and Teresa’s family, who firmly believe in Henri’s innocence, leads Bailey to explode in frustration that “the bastard” carries on with his life as if nothing happened.

https://www.iol.co.za/weekend-argus/van-bredas-clashed-over-drug-use-12234537

The whole article is wow, just wow. I agree L2L, no surprises there. If this is indeed true, it's criminal that Bailey didn't contact the prosecution. As we know from the OP trial, in the event of an appeal, the SC can only decide the matter on the facts decided by the trial judge, and further, new facts cannot be introduced. OMG

 

[JudgeJudi]

Jason Rohde’s trial is continuing today. All tweets are up-to-date.

[url]http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?352493-South-Africa-Susan-Rohde-47-murdered-Stellenbosch-24-July-2016/page16[/URL]

 

[JudgeJudi]

Does anyone recall if we were told at what time HvB was blood tested?

 

[JudgeJudi]

I’ve just read a further excerpt from The De Zalze Murders on Amazon. Julian Jansen has been following the entire trial and included the following in his book which we haven’t heard before.

“His wife and teenage daughter, terror-stricken, are fleeing down the passage towards the stairs leading to the ground floor. They have to pass the room where the screams have now fallen quiet.

The attacker blocks their path. The mother rushes straight at him”.

https://www.amazon.com/Zalze-Murders-Behind-Brutal-Attack-ebook/dp/B078C8JMYH

HvB said Teresa called out, “What’s going on?” At that point, after hearing no reply or cries for help from either Martin, Rudi or HvB, Teresa and Marli may have assumed that there was an intruder in the house, and they attempted to leave and get help. However HvB upon hearing his mother’s voice, would have instantly left the room with the bloody axe in his hand, and it's obvious that they too had to be attacked and silenced.

We hypthothesised the delay of 2hrs 40mins was to 1) hope that Marli would die in the intervening period, and 2) allow him time to stage the crime scene. It’s also possible that if, as we suspect, Rudi was always the main target (his injuries were the most devastating), that it was essential to ensure he too was dead.

Dr Anthony performed the autopsies. She said Rudi was alive for a while after sustaining his injuries because he had swallowed blood. While she was unable to state how long it took before he died, she said it was longer than a few minutes. The blood spatter expert, Marius Joubert, told the Court that Rudi may have been alive for nearly three hours. His body was found in the doorway of the bathroom. With his shocking injuries, it would have taken quite some time if moved there himself, or alternatively HvB moved him there.

I suspect that after the killings of both parents, he immediately went downstairs, had at least one cigarette and some alcohol (Dr Van Zyl said that during her first treatment of HvB he smelled of alcohol). When he returned upstairs, he realised that not only was Marli alive, but so too was Rudi, and he had to wait for them both to die but Marli clung to life. He utilised his time to set the scene and only when he realised that he couldn’t delay much longer as the domestic worker would be arriving for work at approx. 8.30, he made the emergency call at 7.12am and was on the phone for20-30 minutes.

ETA Henri phoned Bianca at 04:24 but she didn't answer the call.

"I wanted to call the emergency services but I had no idea of the number. I then tried to call my girlfriend Bianca but could not get hold of her. I cannot recall whether it rang or whether it went straight to voicemail. I also tried to Google the emergency number on my phone. I recall seeing that the light of the downstairs study was on. I started going up the stairs and could hear Rudi in the bedroom".

So Rudi was alive at 4:24am.

 

[L2L]

I’ve just read a further excerpt from The De Zalze Murders on Amazon. Julian Jansen has been following the entire trial and included the following in his book which we haven’t heard before.

“His wife and teenage daughter, terror-stricken, are fleeing down the passage towards the stairs leading to the ground floor. They have to pass the room where the screams have now fallen quiet.

The attacker blocks their path. The mother rushes straight at him”.

https://www.amazon.com/Zalze-Murders-Behind-Brutal-Attack-ebook/dp/B078C8JMYH

HvB said Teresa called out, “What’s going on?” At that point, after hearing no reply or cries for help from either Martin, Rudi or HvB, Teresa and Marli may have assumed that there was an intruder in the house, and they attempted to leave and get help. However HvB upon hearing his mother’s voice, would have instantly left the room with the bloody axe in his hand, and it's obvious that they too had to be attacked and silenced.

We hypthothesised the delay of 2hrs 40mins was to 1) hope that Marli would die in the intervening period, and 2) allow him time to stage the crime scene. It’s also possible that if, as we suspect, Rudi was always the main target (his injuries were the most devastating), that it was essential to ensure he too was dead.

Dr Anthony performed the autopsies. She said Rudi was alive for a while after sustaining his injuries because he had swallowed blood. While she was unable to state how long it took before he died, she said it was longer than a few minutes. The blood spatter expert, Marius Joubert, told the Court that Rudi may have been alive for nearly three hours. His body was found in the doorway of the bathroom. With his shocking injuries, it would have taken quite some time if moved there himself, or alternatively HvB moved him there.

I suspect that after the killings of both parents, he immediately went downstairs, had at least one cigarette and some alcohol (Dr Van Zyl said that during her first treatment of HvB he smelled of alcohol). When he returned upstairs, he realised that not only was Marli alive, but so too was Rudi, and he had to wait for them both to die but Marli clung to life. He utilised his time to set the scene and only when he realised that he couldn’t delay much longer as the domestic worker would be arriving for work at approx. 8.30, he made the emergency call at 7.12am and was on the phone for20-30 minutes.

I'm still puzzled by HvB not making very sure Marli was dead. Waited for her to die! Alive, she would be the only one who could tell the truth of what happened and HvB wasn't to know about the memory loss. I doubt he had some window of conscience and couldn't bring himself to finish her off.

 

[Bohemian]

HvB isn’t an original or special. Straight out of the SG playbook:

http://guides.sl.nsw.gov.au/c.php?g=671792&p=4729473

 

[JudgeJudi]

I'm still puzzled by HvB not making very sure Marli was dead. Waited for her to die! Alive, she would be the only one who could tell the truth of what happened and HvB wasn't to know about the memory loss. I doubt he had some window of conscience and couldn't bring himself to finish her off.

We only have his word as to when he discovered Marli was still alive. If it was hours later, perhaps it would be possible to determine that a final blow was fresh and not made hours earlier.

ETA I wish we had a doctor here because I have a question too. I have a doctor's appointment this week and if I remember, I'll ask him.

 

[JudgeJudi]

HvB isn’t an original or special. Straight out of the SG playbook:

http://guides.sl.nsw.gov.au/c.php?g=671792&p=4729473

Yes, I remember that well. In a slightly different category but do you remember the Lin family murders - husband, wife, their 2 sons and sister-in-law. The family and the murderer lived just down the road from my parents and Dad used to get his morning paper from Mr Lin every day.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/robert-xi...embers-of-the-lin-family-20161222-gtgufs.html

 

[Bohemian]

Yes, I remember that well. In a slightly different category but do you remember the Lin family murders - husband, wife, their 2 sons and sister-in-law. The family and the murderer lived just down the road from my parents and Dad used to get his morning paper from Mr Lin every day.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/robert-xi...embers-of-the-lin-family-20161222-gtgufs.html

Yes and what a long drawn out process it was for justice to be served in that case. Worth it in the end — 5 life sentences. It’s heartbreaking when brutal crimes such as these happen so close to home. SG’s family home was in my neighbourhood.

 

[Bohemian]

Does anyone recall if we were told at what time HvB was blood tested?

I think Dr Butler was asked that question by Adv Galloway in the closing stages.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Initial Statement

After the person was assaulting my father I heard my mother TERESA voice and I can hear that she was in the passage and this person went out of the room to the passage where my mother was standing. I then can hear that this person was busy assaulting my mother in the passage.

Plea Explanation

I suddenly heard my Mum’s voice outside my room saying, “Wat gaan hier aan?” [What's going on here?] I assumed that the attacker must have heard it too because he then left the room. ... I cannot recall whether I heard any sound of an attack on my Mum outside of our room. The attacker then came back into the room and slowly came at me.

HvB testified

G: When did u become aware that your mother and sister had been attacked?
H: I don’t think I processed what I saw when I left.

Desai: You didn’t hear your mother or sister screaming?

H : No I don’t recall any sounds which confuses me

The lies he tells are outrageous.

 

[Bohemian]

Initial Statement

After the person was assaulting my father I heard my mother TERESA voice and I can hear that she was in the passage and this person went out of the room to the passage where my mother was standing. I then can hear that this person was busy assaulting my mother in the passage.

Plea Explanation

I suddenly heard my Mum’s voice outside my room saying, “Wat gaan hier aan?” [What's going on here?] I assumed that the attacker must have heard it too because he then left the room. ... I cannot recall whether I heard any sound of an attack on my Mum outside of our room. The attacker then came back into the room and slowly came at me.

HvB testified

G: When did u become aware that your mother and sister had been attacked?
H: I don’t think I processed what I saw when I left.

Desai: You didn’t hear your mother or sister screaming?

H : No I don’t recall any sounds which confuses me

The lies he tells are outrageous.

Pathological.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Galloway: You have to believe the info your patient gave you?
Butler: No, you have to be very circumspect of the information you are given.

And yet we have this:

When Galloway asked Butler how he knew Van Breda had lain still on the steps for so long‚ Butler replied: “Because he told me.”

We’ve commented on the last quote previously, but it flies in the face of the first one and just emphasises how Butler twisted things to suit his bias for HvB.

 

[L2L]

Initial Statement

After the person was assaulting my father I heard my mother TERESA voice and I can hear that she was in the passage and this person went out of the room to the passage where my mother was standing. I then can hear that this person was busy assaulting my mother in the passage.

Plea Explanation

I suddenly heard my Mum’s voice outside my room saying, “Wat gaan hier aan?” [What's going on here?] I assumed that the attacker must have heard it too because he then left the room. ... I cannot recall whether I heard any sound of an attack on my Mum outside of our room. The attacker then came back into the room and slowly came at me.

HvB testified

G: When did u become aware that your mother and sister had been attacked?
H: I don’t think I processed what I saw when I left.

Desai: You didn’t hear your mother or sister screaming?

H : No I don’t recall any sounds which confuses me

The lies he tells are outrageous.

Listening to the tapes again (and again!), strange speech in the number of times and ways HvB uses the word 'busy'! Attacker 'busy' assaulting his mother; calling emergency, 'busy' on his mobile; Marli, 'busy' growing up etc. Of no significance, I know, but just strikes me as strange context in which he uses the word!