A DETECTIVE has told the Claremont serial killings trial he will never forget the smell of Ciara Glennon’s dumped body, which he initially thought was that of a kangaroo.
Former Telstra technician and confessed rapist Bradley Robert Edwards, 51, is fighting allegations he murdered secretary Sarah Spiers, 18, childcare worker Jane Rimmer, 23, and solicitor Ms Glennon, 27, in 1996 and 1997.
Detectives Charles Carver and Edward Besson were called to bushland in Eglington in April 1997 after Jason Atkinson, who had been searching for cannabis plants, discovered Ms Glennon’s body.
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READ NOWMr Benson said he initially thought it was a dead kangaroo in the bush.
“But the smell didn’t smell like a dead kangaroo,” he told the West Australian Supreme Court on Wednesday.
“We had to keep the scene pristine.
“We didn’t get too close but I could see that the person had what appeared to be long, blondish hair.
“I noticed … the smell. I’ll never forget it, I can still visualise it now.
“It affected me in a way that I saw it and was shocked by it and haven’t forgotten it in 20 odd years.”
Mr Carver testified on Tuesday that a television journalist was arrested for breaching the cordon that police later set up at the scene.
“We had many issues with the media at the time … in relation to trying to get into the scene and people sneaking over sand dunes,” he said.
“There was a whole lot of things happening. It was just mayhem.”