PORT ELIZABETH - JAYDE PANAYIOTOU'S FINAL MOMENTS AS DESCRIBED BY EXPERT

On Tuesday a crime scene expert, Warrant Officer Phillip Bekker, testified that the school teacher was in a vulnerable crouching position when she was shot.

The State alleges she was shot twice through the back and once through the head.

Reconstructed pictures of her body movements were shown in court, along with Bekker’s opinion that Jayde was at first in a crouching position. He then recorded a backward movement, a spine and head movement and her final position showed her lying with her back flat to the ground.

“Bloodstains on the deceased’s shirt, the flow of blood towards the neck area indicates that her torso was definitely not upright,” said Bekker.

Bekker said that blood on Jayde’s right shoulder was also a factor which supported a crouching position at the time the shots were fired.

For the first time pictures showing the inside of Jayde and Christopher’s home at the Stellen Glen Complex were displayed in court. The lounge area, kitchen and a room showing Jayde’s dressing table, as well as personal items such as a hairbrush and make-up, were displayed.

Her murder accused husband, whom she had known since high school, showed no visible signs of emotion.

It is alleged that Panayiotou paid Luthando Siyoni, a bouncer from his Infinity nightclub, to hire hitman Sizwe Vumazonke to kidnap and kill Jayde. Vumazonke has since died.

Bekker will continue with his testimony on Wednesday.