Cold Case Review of Sophie Tuscan du Plantier murder to proceed. **Threadbans in OP**

My personal view, backed up by professional blood pattern analysis, is that the block was already in situ by the gate when the attack took place. The areas which are clear of blood are called voids and were created when the block was protected from wet blood. This was, in all probability, when Sophie’s body was lying against it at some point during the attack. The block is only on the edge of the dressing gown and may well have been pushed on to it during the attack. Given the weight of the block it is unlikely to have ended up where it was, by Sophie’s left hip, if it was used as a weapon.

thanks Bridget I appreciate your input. What do you think was used as a weapon if not the block?

I take your point about the bottle of wine, for me personally it is highly significant, although I accept that its discovery can’t be linked to the murder via evidence.

on the other hand maybe the fact that it was ‘discovered’ at all speaks volumes.

But of course I concede that maybe it shouldn’t enter into the discussion at all.

Do you think the murderer is the one who left the bloodstain on Sophie’s door, and therefore went up to her house for whatever reason?

In relation to the concrete block, we have a lot of evidence to say it was on top of the dressing gown, not merely pushed over a corner. In the Post Mortem report. Harbison specifically refers to the dressing gown "It is of note that the cavity block rested upon this garment." There is also the statement of D/Garda Eugene Gilligan "Under the briars at the left hip of the body was a 18" inch long cavity concrete block on top of a dark blue dressing gown. " D/Garda Pat Joy said the concrete block was positioned "on what appeared to be a dressing gown folded up beside the body."

There is no ambiguity here, these men were crime scene professionals who saw the body and in some cases helped move it. D/Gda Joy took charge of the exhibits, including the concrete block. They all said it was on top of the dressing gown. It is difficult (I would say impossible) to push a 23kg block with flat surfaces, on top of a fabric garment, it would obviously rumple up. It would have to be lifted, or possibly rolled but you cannot roll a block like that by accident.

Then we have the DNA analysis done by the French in 2011. They took many swabs from the concrete block and found the victim's profile in almost all of them. Her DNA was found on all 4 long sides of the block.

I don't see any difficulty where it ended up. The killer was able to lift it and bring it down on her skull he was able to lift it again and throw it to the side, if it did not simply roll over in that direction.

23 kg is heavy, but it is not impossible to wield for a person with average strength. It is about the weight of a car battery or 5 year old child and most parents could lift a child that age. It only makes sense as a weapon when the unfortunate victim was prostrate and probably immobilized by the assault at that stage. So it is not like it was being waved about. It just had to be carried to the location.

If you have a blood pattern analysis that you or someone else has done please share that analysis and then we can understand better what you mean.

It may never be solved at this stage, unfortunately. I can see why the Gardai focused on Bailey but there were other avenues as evidenced in this thread. Maybe some high tech new developments will give a new avenue.

Yes but this was quoted about the local GP's observations.

'A local GP, Dr Larry O'Connor, attended Toormore shortly after 11am and pronounced the woman dead at the scene. It was clear to Dr O'Connor, from his preliminary examination, that the woman had been dead for a number of hours. However, he could not speculate as to the time of death.'

Also the cold conditions of that morning would slow down rigor mortis possibly pushing back the time of death even further?

No DNA of another person was found, bloodstains were, apparently, all Sophie's. Probably the killer left the stain as her body was found a distance away. Implies that the killer wore gloves or did some kind of clean up afterwards?

I too think the wine bottle may well be significant and am currently researching its origin. As regards the blood stain on the door it is possible that it was left by the murderer however I also wonder whether perhaps Alfie or Shirley approached Sophie more closely than they have ever admitted to.

It would also appear, from their statements, that none of the officers who were first on scene approached Sophie or attempted in any way to establish whether she was still alive.

It was from this article..

https://evoke.ie/2020/05/31/life-style/sophie-toscan-du-plantier-murder-book

This is interesting as these are not photos that are in the French file. Can you tell me where they are from.