Ronald Grimsley (25) had been high on dagga, heroin and drink and ”lost control for a few minutes” when he allegedly strangled Tanya Flowerday (18) in June last year.
Captain Stephanus van der Watt testified before the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday and related what Grimsley, of Fontainebleau in Randburg, had told him of the incident.
According to van der Watt, Grimsley said that when Flowerday had refused sex and told him she had a boyfriend, ”I lost my temper. I got on top of her and throttled her.”
Grimsley, who made advertisements for a film company, has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, indecent assault, aggravated robbery and murder on grounds that he was not ”in his sound and sober senses” at the time of the incident.
Flowerday’s body was found on a grass verge in Durham Road, Darrenwood by a domestic worker on June 14 2003, after Grimsley allegedly dumped it there in the early hours of the same day.
Pathologist Dr K Hlaise testified on Wednesday that the post mortem on Flowerday’s body found her face ”had a bluish tinge” and that ”external pressure had been applied to the neck”.
There was also much trauma to the genital area and the anus was torn. There were scratches across her back, bruises, abrasions and contusions on much of her body. Her scalp bore injuries, her eyelids were swollen and there were contusions on her lips.
In a written plea explanation on Tuesday, Grimsley claimed he had blacked out during a heroin, dagga and drink binge. While on his way to take Flowerday home he had stopped his car for another ”heroin-mix cigarette”.
An argument broke out when Flowerday realised he was on heroin.
He claimed he came round to find his hands around Flowerday’s throat. She was in a state of partial undress and not breathing. He dressed her and dumped the body.
According to van der Watt, Grimsley confided that he had thrown Flowerday’s bag and jacket out of the car while rounding a bend, and sold her cellphone in Hillbrow.
He further said that Grimsley ”wanted to apologise to the police for lying by saying that a movie was made of Flowerday’s death.”
Joanie Spies, for the prosecution, will call the last State witness on Thursday. – Sapa