Court hears of Van Breda family fights

Upsetting conflicts revealed through message from Marli’s boyfriend

NORMAL family fights or something sinister? This is the question growing roots in the triple axe murder trial of Henri van Breda in the Cape Town High Court. An impassioned WhatsApp message from Marli van Breda’s boyfriend‚ James Reade-Jahn‚ shortly before the murders has cast the family in a new light.

Revealed in court yesterday, the message said: “I know I told you everything I always feel or am doing‚ and right now‚ I feel like I want to murder the people that are around you at the moment and I am inches away from losing it with them and breaking down completely but I am being strong to help you.”

Reade-Jahn told Judge Siraj Desai he deeply regretted the words in the light of the murders that followed just 16 days later.

But they also reveal a family in conflict – he said he was trying to comfort Marli after an ugly family fight that had left her and her mother, Teresa, very upset.

The fight‚ according to Reade-Jahn‚ was to do with Marli having gained weight.

When defence counsel Matthys Combrink put it to him that this was in the realm of a normal family disagreement‚ he said he felt something worse had happened in the fight based on how upset Teresa was.

Reade-Jahn also said in court that father Martin and Teresa had a good relationship but that Martin had been a controlling husband and father, which had led to arguments.

“All agreed Martin had been too rough on Marli” during the discussion about her weight, he said.

Reade-Jahn also shared details of how he learnt of the family murders.

He had WhatsApped Marli on the morning of January 27 – when the bodies were discovered – but there was no reply.

He expected to find her at school but she did not arrive. He then called her and the family home several times‚ to no avail.

Eventually, he asked his mother to go to the estate to see if something strange had happened. She then arrived at the school and broke the terrible news to him.

The court also heard yesterday that the balaclava-wearing assailant who Henri claims attacked his family did not fit the modus operandi of the “balaclava gang” who stalked the area.

This was according to Stellenbosch detective Captain Nicholas Stein‚ one of the lead investigators in a team set up to catch the gang.

Stein‚ who took the stand as a state witness, said he was called to the scene at De Zalze in Stellenbosch by investigators.

This was after Henri told them the attacker who killed his parents and brother, and critically injured his sister Marli‚ wore gloves and a balaclava.

There were no signs of forced entry and nothing seemed to be stolen, Stein said. “There was no sign that anyone got in.” Asked by state advocate Susan Galloway whether there were signs that someone escaped over the wall‚ he said there were no bloodstains or boot marks to indicate that.

Unlike in the balaclava gang attacks, no liquor had been taken.

Stein said Henri was quiet and calm and told the court that in his 28 years of policing experience he had observed that most people will show emotions after an attack or a housebreaking.

The case was adjourned until Monday. – TMG Digital/TimesLIVE