Marli’s ex questioned on texts about murdering her family
POLICE questioned Marli van Breda’s then-boyfriend, James Reade-Jahn, shortly after she and her family were attacked by an axe-wielding suspect, about a message he sent her suggesting that he wanted to kill her loved ones.
Reade-Jahn yesterday testified in the Western Cape High Court that Marli had an argument with her family on January 10, 2015 – 17 days before the murder of her family members – about her weight gain.
In the same argument her parents had also raised their concerns that the teens were taking their relationship too seriously, and wanted Marli to focus on her schoolwork and get results that would qualify her for university.
The conversation had upset Marli so much that she ran upstairs to her room, ReadeJahn said.
He then sent Marli a series of messages, which he was asked by the defence to read out in court.
He said: “And finally… I know I told you I would tell 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 and support you babe xxxx Pls I can call you whenever you need me… Don’t let me sit in the dark like this babe”
Reade-Jahn told the court the messages were a mistake. “It was not the right thing to say to comfort Marli. It was not directed to mean anything – it was silly.”
He and Marli were both in Grade 11 at the time, and attended the same school.
The first he heard that the Van Breda family had been attacked was when he asked his mother to investigate, as he could not reach Marli.
“In the morning I often WhatsApp Marli to say good morning, but that time she didn’t reply. I then went to school, and usually she is there before me, so I gave her a call, but she didn’t answer. I then called the house phone, but there was no answer either, so I worried. I asked my mother to go to the house to see what was wrong… she broke the news to me,” Reade-Jahn, visibly emotional, testified.
Marli’s brother, Henri, is standing trial for the murder of his mother Teresa, 55, father Martin, 54, and brother Rudi, 22, who were killed with an axe. He faces a charge of attempted murder for an attack on Marli, who survived but suffers from retrograde amnesia.
Henri has pleaded not guilty, and in a plea explanation said an attacker wearing a balaclava broke into their house and carried out the crimes.
Also on the stand yesterday was Nicholas Steyn – the detective assigned to the case.
Steyn told the court a task team had been established to investigate a series of robberies during 2013 and 2014 of farmers by suspects who wore balaclavas and gloves. He said there had been between 50 and 60 incidents, and the suspects had made off with valuables.
Police had managed to arrest six people who they could link to 10 incidents.
In the Van Breda house, nothing was taken, Steyn said.
The trial continues on Monday.