Murder suspect extradited to Italy

By Arla Shephard
December 7, 2007

Italian police officials arrested Ivory Coast native Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, yesterday after he was extradited from Germany to Italy for his involvement in the murder of British study abroad student Meredith Kercher, according to a Dec. 6 article on CNN.com ("Kercher murder suspect extradited").

Kercher, 21, who attended Leeds University, was found dead Nov. 2 in her bedroom, half-clothed with a stab wound to her throat. She was the victim of an apparent sexual assault, police officials said.

Her murder sparked international controversy involving Italian university student Raffaele Sollecito, 23, and UW student Amanda Knox, 20, who have both been denied bail in Perugia's Capanne prison.

A warrant for the arrest of Guede was made after his fingerprint was discovered on a pillowcase at the scene of the crime. His DNA has also been found inside of Kercher and in skin cells on toilet paper at her home.

Guede admits to having sexual relations with Kercher and being with her on the night of her murder, but he denies any involvement in the killing. He is the only suspect to confess to being there the night she died.

A request for a second autopsy on Kercher's body was denied last week, paving the way for her burial. The request was placed in order to determine her time of death more accurately, according to a Nov. 28 article on CNN.com ("Way cleared for Meredith burial").

"I have spoken to the family, and they are obviously glad that they will now be able to bury their daughter," said Francesco Maresca, the Kercher family's attorney, to The Associated Press.

Kercher's original time of death was placed at 10 p.m. Nov. 1, but Perugia's prosecutor general, Claudia Matteini, said she probably sufferd a "very slow agony" as she bled to death.

The wound could have been made as early as 8:30 p.m., and Kercher could have died any time before 11:30 p.m., Maresca said.

[Reach reporter Arla Shephard at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]

Comments

#1 Tazia

commented, on
December 8, 2007 at 10:56 a.m.:

"He is the only suspect to confess to being there the night she died."

Not as such, a UoW student has conceded she was there as part of a series of (her) versions of events. I also think she may have been filmed near the crime scene on or about the time of the killing etc.

#2 phyllis

commented, on
December 8, 2007 at 11:09 a.m.:

right you are Tazia.thanks for trying to keep the media more accurate.knox said she was in the kitchen aqnd heard the murder take place.

#3 phyllis

commented, on
December 8, 2007 at 11:09 a.m.:

right you are Tazia.thanks for trying to keep the media more accurate.knox said she was in the kitchen aqnd heard the murder take place.

#4 cami

commented, on
December 9, 2007 at 9:59 p.m.:

from what i can see in the media, nothing that is being said is true... from what i've learned, amanda was interrogated harshly and those statments were what the police chose to reveal from that night, not what she actually said about where she was... amanda wasnt there that night and there has been no evidence so show that, rudy is the only person in custody that there is evidence against... and tazia, the film that you are talking about? dont you think that if it really was amanda knox that we would have seen it already? it would be part of what was leaked? so i have a hard time believing that there is a video that would be admissable in court... the truth will come out, and there will be justice for meredith

#5 dianne

commented, on
December 9, 2007 at 10:01 p.m.:

thank you cami...

~someone who knows...

#6 someone

commented, on
December 10, 2007 at 1:46 p.m.:

Cami,
here's a transcript of a note Amanda wrote to the police:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main....

Key passage:
"(It was) after many hours of confusion that my mind came up with these answers. In my mind I saw Patrik in flashes of blurred images. I saw him near the basketball court. I saw him at my front door. I saw myself cowering in the kitchen with my hands over my ears because in my head I could hear Meredith screaming. But I've said this many times so as to make myself clear: these things seem unreal to me, like a dream, and I am unsure if they are real things that happened or are just dreams my head has made to try to answer the questions in my head and the questions I am being asked.

But the truth is, I am unsure about the truth and here's why:

1. The police have told me that they have hard evidence that places me at the house, my house, at the time of Meredith's murder. I don't know what proof they are talking about, but if this is true, it means I am very confused and my dreams must be real. [...]"

If you believe she can't remember where she was, but remember very clearly the exculpatory details, then I have a bridge to sell you. Key question: why haven't she told the truth yet?

#7 Tazia

commented, on
December 21, 2007 at 10:40 p.m.:

"why haven't she told the truth yet?"

Because she took part in the killing?

#8 Tazia

commented, on
January 8, 2008 at 7:39 p.m.:

I think the police hit her, she was denied her VCCR entitlements, it is all very well to have a dim view of cashed up white Americans, but the FBI would have solved in already.

I think the clown-cops mistreated her and that resulted in them being offered the dark fella they wanted, they had to release him, though he is still rather unfairly a suspect.

Ms Knox could end up doing the same time as a girl on a five stretch in Chillicothe, Missouri before she gets discovery.

I have had clients released from 5yrs after 6 months with a bit of arm-twisting and chasing up the odd judge who liked fishing. There is something wrong with the case.

They have another African, and they still don't seem to have a two person choir.

I am quite puzzled where it is going. What do they do if the 'new' killer who may as it happens be 'the' killer, refuses to implicate Ms Knox, do they hit him harder?

#9 Tazia

commented, on
January 8, 2008 at 7:47 p.m.:

"The police have told me that they have hard evidence that places me at the house, my house, at the time of Meredith's murder. I don't know what proof they are talking about, but if this is true, it means I am very confused and my dreams must be real."

This from a girl who has yet to give up her accomplice(s). We will discount the head tapping iniative which gave us the Congolese.

Well, she is good or she is in need of a clinic in Aspen. If it is the latter, it means the cops in Italy are a disgrace. Prisoners have been beaten to death in Capanne.

Italy has had 8 Prime Ministers charged with crimes and about 5,000 other assorted VIPs of one sort or another arrested or indicted. Naples is currently drowning in a sea of garbage complete with riots because the mafia have the place in their pocket.

Tazia

#10 low

commented, on
February 1, 2008 at 9:10 p.m.:

This crime could be as simple as it may appear. Yes, I believe Amanda and Raffaele knew what happened and were at the scene as it played out. Thus, adding to my theory that it turned out to be a sex party among four consenting adults (including Guede), that went to far for. I suspect that all of the players in this episode were under the influence of some type of drug. However, for a murder to take place their had to be intent and ability. Guede probally wanted sex and Kercher did not. Amanda probally got into a argument because kercher was being a party drag. Leaving Raffaele to cover the scene to protect Amanda. I mean this is all speculations-my and deepest regards go to the family of the slain student. Amanda knows something!

#11 Tazia

commented, on
March 3, 2008 at 3:47 p.m.:

I kind of think the prosecution is struggling, that Albanian witness was a stunt right?