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Italian prosecutors believe that Rudy Hermann Guede, a suspect in the murder of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, had a rendezvous not with Ms Kercher on the night of the killing, as he claims, but with Amanda Knox, her American flatmate, because she owed him money for drugs.
Mr Guede, the Ivory Coast immigrant who was extradited from Germany last week, is due to appear today before a judge reviewing his detention. Sources close to the investigation said that in explaining why Mr Guede should not be freed Giuliano Mignini, the chief prosecutor, would offer a reconstruction of the crime revolving around drug dealing.
Police believe that Mr Guede, who is being held in the same prison as Ms Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, her Italian boyfriend, supplied hashish to them both. Both have admitted "being high" on cannabis on the day of the murder, though both maintain that they were at Mr Sollecito's flat the whole evening and night and not at the cottage where the killing took place.
Mr Guede, who has a record of minor drugs offences in Italy, has told police that he met Ms Kercher by arrangement, and that she complained to him that Ms Knox had stolen money from her bedside drawer to pay for drugs. Prosecutors suggest this is a distorted version of what actually happened: that Mr Guede and Ms Knox met at the cottage, that Ms Knox took Ms Kercher's money to pay him, and that Ms Kercher walked in at "the wrong moment". In the ensuing confrontation Ms Kercher was sexually attacked and her throat was cut.
In a memorandum written while he was in custody in Germany and leaked to Italian papers Mr Guede said that Ms Kercher had complained to him at their rendezvous at the cottage that Ms Knox was a "drugged up tart". Police believe she may indeed have used such words, but in the presence of Ms Knox herself as well as Mr Guede. Il Messaggero, the Rome daily, said that the alleged role of Mr Sollecito in the murder as reconstructed by the prosecutors remained unclear, though police believe that the murder weapon was a kitchen knife from his flat.
A woman who lives opposite the cottage has told police that she heard screams coming from it at about 11pm, after which "at least two people" emerged and fled "in different directions". She said she had gone to sleep about 9pm or 9.30pm, and had been woken up by the scream and the running. "I didn't look at the time, but I think it was a couple of hours after I went to sleep".
Police said that this contradicted Mr Guede's account, in which he claimed he had stayed behind to try and help Ms Kercher after the assailant had fled. He said that he been in the bathroom with stomach pains when the murderer entered the cottage which Ms Kercher and Ms Knox shared. He had heard "terrible screams" and on emerging had seen " a figure with his back to me in her bedroom. He turned round. It was an Italian man, I know this because he insulted me and did not have a foreign accent."
He said that the man had a knife in his hand "and tried to strike me with it. I tried to defend myself with my hand." The assailant had rushed out of the house, saying "a black man found is a guilty man". Italian reports said that Mr Mignini would argue that this account was "improbable and contradictory" and designed to cover up Mr Guede's own alleged "criminal actions".
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I agree - If you hear a scream and see two people running wouldn't you think someone is in trouble????
Mary , New York, NY
Most likely, all three (Rudy, Amanda and Raffaela) were there that night.... Amanda says she does not remember anything, however, she clearly remembered taking a shower with her boyfriend and recalled that her boyfriend cleaned her ears ??? And, she recalled seeing blood on Raffaela, but thinks it is from the fish they ate for dinner? She remembers the shower, dinner AND accused Patrick of murder! Also, how many people would go out and buy sexy underwear the day after your flat mate is brutally raped and murdered for a day of sex with your boyfriend? They acted like they did ot have a care in the world. But, now she has amnesia...... I don't care what her friends say, the girl is psycho!
Lisa E, L.A., California
In Europe especially in Italy you dont get arrested or get jailtime for the possession of small amounts of drugs, so panic was never drug induced... and then there is lots of DNA, DNA and remember all other evidence...dont be naive US Citizens, dont pray for Amanda, pray for her ill soul!!!
Fritz, Berlin, Germany
Her bizarre story is the proof that she is heavily involved. A person who has nothing to hide gives a logical clear account of events, without serious ^¨I don,t remember¨^ holes, just three days after the events.
She tried to frame Lumumba and Sollecito because they probably have nothing on her. I think she knows that if she tries to frame Guede who has admitted being there, He will berry her with him, because he probably has a lot on her.
It is indeed strange that Sollecito and Amanda don,t remember what they did that day in town till 9pm., and are vague on each others alibi. It looks like this story could be far more horrible than we think and be premeditated by AMANDA and Sollecito and maybe involving Guede to let him take the fall. The police is going for pre meditated murder.
sten, almere , holl.
The witness had already informed the Police within days of the murder. The fact was known already by the Police
Rob, London, uk
Agreed that Amanda's story is bizarre. But what proof do we have that she participated in the killng? A man with a knife doesn't need any help.
In any case she would have faced serious jail time if caught with drugs, so that has to have been a factor in her panic that night.
I
isabella saxon, Portland, USA Oregon
Shouldn't Amanda Knox at least be facing charges for falsely accusing Patrick Lumumba?
Tom, Seattle,
If Amanda went to meet her drug dealer who was demanding payment, and took a knife along for protection in case things got out of hand, then she would have just taken the position that Guede killed Meredith and she, Amanda, barely escaped with her life. Instead, she keeps mum about Guede, bleaches the heck out of her home, phones Guede several times, and makes sure the knife goes back to her boyfriend's. And while she has the presence of mind to do all of this, she was so "confused" that she named her boss as the killer and remembers hearing the attack AND sleeping peacefully all night at the boyfriend's place. Drugs do strange things to people....
melissa, Arlington, USA
This has got to be one of the most interesting "who-done-it's" in quite some time. I can't wait for the book to come out.
Rob, Round Lake, IL, USA
to Rudy G. Stuttgart: If only Amanda and Rudy Guede killed Meredith without Raffaele's knowledge, why Raffaele goes on saying he was in his flat all the time and only doesn't know if Amanda was sleeping with him or not?
Amanda says she doesn't remember if Raffaele was with her or not.
Is it really possible Raffaele doesn't remember if Amanda was him or not? Amanda told she was in the house when Patrick (black) abused and killed Meredith. If Amanda was in the house she saw Guede, not Patrick, and in this case why Raffaele goes on with his version? Does Raffaele wish to protect Amanda and himself?
On Italian television Patrick said Meredith was killed to steal some her money. How is possible Patrick knows this?
lis, orvieto, italy
How is Rudy's last name actually pronounced? On television, I've heard it pronounced "GWAY-DAY" and also "GOO-DEE". Can someone tell me? His alibi never fails to make me smile, it just reveals his naivete. It's simply amazing that he could think that would work. I stand by my original theory, that Amanda and Rudy did it without Raffaele's knowledge.
Rudy G., Stuttgart, DE,
Why didn't the woman who heard the screams and the two people fleeing phone the police right away??? What the heck?
Chira Endress, Pittsburgh, USA