I stared into the ‘blank dead eyes’ of Scot’s killer
Witness tells how raging lover attacked Santa guide Becky
A COLLEAGUE of a Scot who died after being stabbed 40 times by her boyfriend in Lapland has described the ‘blank dead eyes’ of her killer.
Rebecca Johnson, 26, was killed by Czech ex-soldier Karel Frybl following an argument over puppies while the pair worked giving dog sled tours at a Christmas resort in Finland.
Former chef Frybl denies murder, but this week admitted killing the Scot with a 4.5in knife.
He said he had no memory of the killing because of a temporary mental breakdown.
Witness Joseph Pickles told Lapland District Court the 36year-old’s eyes had been ‘blank’ during the attack – but that he had appeared to be ‘focused’ on what he was doing.
Miss Johnson, of Burntisland, Fife, suffered stab wounds to her chest, head, neck, abdomen, back, hands and right leg in the attack on December 3.
Sobbing, Mr Pickles told the court he had been a short distance away when the Czech, known to him by the alias Radek Novak, launched the attack.
He said: ‘I heard Becky screaming and the sound of the impact after the screaming. The screams seemed like the air was being pushed out of her – like a wheeze.’
He then recalled running to the cabin where the attack happened: ‘I pulled the door open and I said “Radek, stop!”. Becky said, “Joe, call an ambulance, he stabbed me”.’ After being asked to describe Frybl’s appearance, Mr Pickles said: ‘His eyes were blank. We didn’t exchange much. He was in a rage, he was wide-eyed. Blank, dead eyes. Becky was laid down in the corner... I looked her in the eye, that vision stayed with me. The vision of her. In that moment.’
The court heard that Mr Pickles left to call an ambulance.
Prosecutors allege that Frybl then continued to attack his wounded girlfriend, but the defence say there is no evidence to support this.
As Mr Pickles made the emergency call, he saw the Czech trying, but failing, to start a car. The witness added: ‘He seemed to be very focused at this point at what he was doing. He was walking, not running, but was walking with a purpose, he was determined on an escape. I went to check on Becky. She looked worse, the injuries looked worse than when I first saw her... I realised she was gone.’ The court previously heard that Frybl fled on a dog sled. He was caught two and a half miles away.
Miss Johnson and Frybl had been together since 2015. They were working for the Santa Safari company in Finland, running Christmas-themed tours.
The case was adjourned for psychological examinations. The court will decide later if Frybl is guilty of homicide or murder.