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Man guilty in jogger murder case | Man guilty in jogger murder case |
(41 minutes later) | |
A man described as a loner has been convicted of murdering a Harrods shop worker found buried in a shallow grave in a park where she went jogging. | |
Garath Davies was convicted of killing Egeli Rasta in Mitcham Common, south London, in July 2006. | Garath Davies was convicted of killing Egeli Rasta in Mitcham Common, south London, in July 2006. |
The 27-year-old Estonian was reported missing a day after finishing work and her body lay undiscovered for 12 days. | |
Davies, 23, from Mitcham, south London, had denied murder and perverting the course of justice. | Davies, 23, from Mitcham, south London, had denied murder and perverting the course of justice. |
The court heard that Miss Rasta, who was "fit, athletic, and quite strong", lived near Mitcham Common and would often jog and sunbathe there, sometimes topless. | The court heard that Miss Rasta, who was "fit, athletic, and quite strong", lived near Mitcham Common and would often jog and sunbathe there, sometimes topless. |
She disappeared on 4 July - a day after working a shift at the LK Bennett concession at Harrods. | She disappeared on 4 July - a day after working a shift at the LK Bennett concession at Harrods. |
Mark Ellison, prosecuting, said Davies was "something of a loner" who spent quite a lot of time on the common alone or with his black Staffordshire terrier, Tyson. | Mark Ellison, prosecuting, said Davies was "something of a loner" who spent quite a lot of time on the common alone or with his black Staffordshire terrier, Tyson. |
Precisely what happened to Miss Rasta was unclear because her body was decomposed so badly a pathologist was unable to establish the cause of death. | Precisely what happened to Miss Rasta was unclear because her body was decomposed so badly a pathologist was unable to establish the cause of death. |
This horror will never end for me and my family Egeli Rasta's mother Sirje | |
A knife stained with her blood was found in a sack in Davies' holdall, alongside two homemade sex toys. | |
This was coupled with the fact that the victim was found naked, "clearly suggesting a sexual motive", Mr Ellison said. | |
Davies told the court that at the time he was "chain smoking" cannabis and was "very stoned" on the day Miss Rasta was killed. | |
Davies later told police: "I'm afraid I might have done it. I can't remember." | Davies later told police: "I'm afraid I might have done it. I can't remember." |
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Miss Rasta's mother Sirje said: "This horror will never end for me and my family. | |
"Egeli's nine-year-old sister has asked me a million times: 'Where is she? Is she still far away? Why wouldn't she come home?' | |
"I have no courage nor the knowledge to explain to her what has happened." | |
Davies will be sentenced on 14 December. |