Forensic: Ellah Joy attacked by more than one person

Prosecutors in the Ellah Joy Pique murder case presented yesterday a police forensic expert who testified  that the 6-year-old girl was killed by more than one person.

Dr. Nestor Satur of the PNP regional crime laboratory 7 said the injuries on the victim suggested  more than one person killed Ellah Joy.

He explained the possibility that one person held the arms of Ellah Joy while another hit her in the head.

The forensic expert attributed Ellah Joy’s death to a traumatic injury in the right side of the back portion of her head.

The victim also sustained concussions on her right cheek and chin and also suffered bruises on her arms.

Satur said  he did the autopsy at around 3:40 a.m. last Feb. 10, 2011, after receiving a request from the Barili police station.

He estimated  the victim died at around 11 p.m. in Feb. 8, 2011. The body was discovered at around 7 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2011.

He based his findings on the appearance of the body and the victim’s stomach contents, which still contained small amounts of food.

Defense lawyer Julius Caesar Entise said  they will not oppose Satur’s testimony. “As far as we are concerned, the testimony shows that the accused are innocent.

Suspect Bella Ruby Santos was sitting on a bench in one side of the courtroom in yesterday’s hearing.

She is the partner of British national Charles Griffiths who has evaded arrest.

Meanwhile, Sec. Leila De Lima of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said the government will continue exerting efforts to arrest Griffiths.

De Lima said they will coordinate with the concerned  foreign government for the capture of the suspect through  Mutual Legal Assistance.

In  November last year, Griffiths, a 51-year-old accountant, had his name posted in the Interpol’s  “red alert list” for his standing warrant of arrest in the country. /Jose Santino S. Bunachita, UP  Intern