Suitcase where Becky killers hid mutilated body
THE suitcase i n which police found the dismembered body of teenager Becky Watts was shown to a jury yesterday.
It had been found in a shed with bags stuffed with bloodsplattered safety goggles, a kitchen knife, and the power saw used in the ‘grotesque’ cover-up, the court heard.
Nathan Matthews, 28, and his lover are accused of butchering his 16-year-old stepsister in a sex- driven kidnap attempt. Jurors heard yesterday how Matthews’ girlfriend Shauna Hoare, 21, posted an appeal on Facebook to f i nd Becky hours before she searched YouTube for: ‘Do you want to hide a body.’
The teenager’s family were left in tears after her blood-stained green jumper was shown to the court.
Becky’s remains were found in a garden shed belonging to one of Matthews’ friends and neighbours, 11 days after she had disappeared from her home on February 19. Matthews, who denies murder, claims he killed Becky accidentally then put her body in his car, drove home and dismembered the corpse in his bathroom using the power saw.
Becky’s remains were found tightly wrapped in cling film and plastic bags. Alongside the blackand-grey suitcase was a blue plastic box which had her torso inside.
Close by was a Eurohike rucksack containing the blood- stained goggles, kitchen knife, scissors, two screwdrivers, facemasks, handcuffs, pliers and a shower curtain.
In a pink-and-grey spotted Envoy suitcase police discovered the £80 Mac Allister circular saw, which was ‘contaminated’ with blood and hair.
It also contained an empty Asda bleach bottle, Asda l i mescale remover, pan scourers, two T-shirts and a pair of jeans. The jury was shown two paper masks with elasti-
‘How do you hide a body?’
cated straps – both stained with ‘apparent’ make-up.
A car boot liner with hair on it was found folded up and stashed in an oven kept in the couple’s bathroom, Bristol Crown Court heard.
Becky’s aunt, Sarah Bloom, fled the public gallery in tears when a bloodstained green Boohoo jumper – thought to have been worn by the teenager when she died – was shown.
Among the photographs released yesterday was a police picture of an 8,000-volt stun gun found at the couple’s cluttered Bristol home.
Firearms specialist Katherine Scott said two stun guns had been found at the terraced house and both could be used without leaving any marks on the body.
She said a shock from one of the stun guns could cause a person to fall to the ground.
Criminal intelligence analyst Shaun Groves told jurors that, using witness statements, CCTV and phone information, he had been able to attribute certain calls, messages and internet searches to Hoare and Matthews. He said the day after Becky went missing, Hoare wrote on Facebook at 5.29pm: ‘Hi can you keep an eye out for Becky Watts and if you see her message me or ring me as she is missing.’
But then at 9pm, in a YouTube search attributed to Hoare, a device was used to search: ‘Do you want to hide a body.’
Becky’s remains were found in a shed 80 metres from the couple’s home.
The property’s residents, Karl Demetrius, 30, and partner Jaydene Parsons, 23, admit assisting an offender. Donovan Demetrius - Karl’s twin - of Bristol, and James Ireland, 23, of Avonmouth, deny the same charge.
Matthews, of Warmley, South Gloucestershire, denies murder and conspiracy to kidnap. He admits killing Becky, perverting the course of justice, preventing burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon.
Hoare, of Bristol, denies murder, conspiracy to kidnap, perverting the course of justice, preventing burial of a corpse and possessing a prohibited weapon. The trial continues.