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0860 13 0860 – Crime Stop Supr. Thulani Mabena
MURDER OF TRACEY THOMPSON MAS NO. 726/03/2005 INVESTIGATING OFFICER CAPTAIN KOEKEMOER KEMPTON PARK SAPS
FROM: MR AND MRS THOMPSON
TO: CAPTAIN KOEKEMOER
IN REGARDS TO OUTSTANDING QUERIES AND FEEDBACK
Dear Captain Koekemoer
Since my daughters murder my wife and I have be plagued by unanswered questions and to make things easier we have put them down in point form in the hope that you can assist in clarifying these questions.
INCIDENT NUMBER 1: TRACEY’S MISSING VEHICLE
a)Tracey’s motor vehicle registration number NX7316 was apparently found by a Flying Squad team round about 08:00AM on Thursday 10th March 2005 near the Bapsfontein offramp on the R21 in the direction of Pretoria.
The keys were apparently in the ignition and Tracey was missing
Question 1:
Did anybody ever take written statements from the Police Officers who found the vehicle in regards to its condition, content etc? If not, why not?
Question 2:
Did anybody call out the Fingerprint Technician? If not, why not?
Question 3:
Who took the vehicle to the Police pound? What happened to the keys?
Question 4:
Was there ever a missing person’s case opened and if so, who was the Investigating Officer? If not, why not? Especially after the Police had been informed who had been driving the car the night before and the suspicious circumstances of her disappearance.
Question 5:
Who questioned the three other friends living with Tracey in the Cottage on this day? If this was not done, why not? Where are their statements?
Question 6:
Why was a major search not launched in the surrounding Mielie Fields on that day? Bearing in mind the SAPS had knowledge that day that Tracey’s car had run out of petrol being left open and unlocked with the keys still in the ignition by a young woman last seen in her Cottage wearing slip ons and watching T. V.
Question 7:
Why were Tracey’s neighbours and the rest of her friends living on this plot not questioned?
INCIDENT 2: THE FINDING OF TRACEY’S BODY ON 19TH MARCH 2005 IN A MIELIE FIELD AT BREDELL
b)Nine days after Tracey had gone missing a half-naked body of a European female apparently with her hands tied in front with a piece of rope. A piece of rope around her neck, her sweater pulled over her head, her baggy shorts pulled down to her knees, barefoot and minus panties was found at approximately 5:00PM by a black man walking home in a Mielie Field.
Question 1:
Who were the first SAPS members on the scene?
Question 2:
Who was the first CID member on the scene?
Question 3:
Who was the Investigating Officer called out to the scene?
Question 4:
Were statements taken immediately by the Investigating Officer from the first Police Officers on the scene and the witness who found the body? If not, why not?
Question 5:
Did the Investigating Officer apart from requesting a Photographer and the Mortuary vehicle call out a Forensic Unit with all their relevant equipment? If not, why not?
Question 6:
Did a team of Investigators work throughout the night or the next morning to attempt to locate any evidence e.g. missing panties, tyre tracks, footprints or any other evidence that might have been left by the perpetrators? If not, why not?
Question 7:
Did the Investigating Officer at the scene see that the deceased’s hands were placed in evidence bags and secured? If not, why not?
Question 8:
Did the Investigating Officer at the scene see that the deceased’s body was placed on a clean sheet or evidence bag so that no evidence might be contaminated that could be on the body? If not, why not?
Question 9:
Did a Pathologist or Doctor attend the scene? If not, why not?
Question 10:
At the Mortuary did the Investigating Officer take possession of all clothing, bag it and send it to Forensics for examination? If not, why not?
Question 11:
The following day if not sooner now knowing that the missing driver of the vehicle impounded on the 10th March 2005 had been murdered was the vehicle not treated as a crime scene and gone over with a fine tooth comb by Forensics and the Fingerprint Department?
Question 12:
Why was door to door enquiries not carried out at the surrounding compounds not even two kilometres away from where the body was found?
Question 13:
Why were the prostitutes who were operating not 50 feet away from where the body was discovered ever located and questions?
Question 14:
Why did Doctor Peters of the Government Mortuary not carry out a proper and professional Post Mortem especially in regards to attempting to find sperm in the anus, vagina and mouth for DNA purposes, why did he not attempt to locate evidence under the nails and send this for analysis?
Question 15:
Why did he not with the use of insects and eggs attempt to establish time of death? Nor cut open the throat in an attempt to ascertain whether the deceased was throttled with the rope round her neck, etc…
Question 16:
Why were certain organs and urine samples as well as stomach content not sent away for analysis?
Question 17:
Why did the Investigating Officer not attend the Post Mortem and see this was done?
Question 18:
What happened to the rope found around the deceased’s wrists and neck? Were photo’s ever taken of this for closer inspections of the knots etc? If not, why not?
Question 19:
Was the rope ever sent for Forensics? If not, why not?
Question 20:
Why was the deceased’s pockets not searched at the Mortuary or a the scene (we know this was not done because a Crack Pipe was still in one of the trouser pockets when the clothes were returned to us nearly two months later)?
Question 21:
Why were the trousers never sent to Forensic in an attempt to ascertain whether there was any sperm, urine or faeces in the crotch?
Question 22:
Why did the Investigating Officer never take full and detailed statements from the three other flatmates or the neighbours (our Private Investigator has done this) living on the plot once it became apparent the case he was investigating was a violent and ghastly murder?
Question 23:
Why did he never attempt to locate the source of the rope used on Tracey (our Private Investigator has done this)?
Question 24:
Why did he not attempt to locate the source of the Crack Pipe (our Private Investigator has done this)?
Question 25:
Why did the Investigating Officer once he knew he had a murder case inspect the car for clues and find what was there (our Private Investigator has done this)?
Question 26:
Why did the Investigating Officer not zero in on at least one suspect and pull him in for interrogation (our Private Investigator has done so)?
Question 27:
Why were available leads in regards to drugs dealers from whom Tracey and her male flatmate purchased heavy drugs on a weekly basis not followed up?
Question 28:
Why was the malicious damage to Tracey’s car a few days before she went missing not followed up?
Question 29:
Why was the Press or T. V. never asked by the Investigating Officer to assist locating missing items of clothing e.g. baseball cap or attempting to find motorists or pedestrians who might have observed something happening the night Tracey’s car broke down on the Highway?
Question 30:
Why was a JOC Centre never set up manned by a full team of various Detectives in an attempt to apprehend the killers of our daughter like the SAPS called in on the Leigh Matthews murder?
Question 31:
Who is now the actual Investigating Officer from whom we request the following?
a)A full copy of the Police docket we will obviously pay for any photocopying.
b)That our Private Investigator who is an ex murder and robbery Detective be allowed to peruse the docket in full and obviously in return pass over and discuss all clues and evidence in his possession
c)He is also prepared to work hand in glove with the Investigating Officer, assist in transport or any other legwork that might be required.
We hope that this morning meeting with you Senior Superintendent Louw and Captain Koekemoer will enable the above questions to be answered for us.
We are not trying to rock any boats but as grieving parents at this stage feel there was a total travesty or justice.
All we want is our daughters killers brought to book.
Yours faithfully
Mr and Mrs Thompson
CC: Senior Superintendent Louw
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