Lilie James school death: Killer’s haunting two-hour act
The movements of Paul Thijssenn have been revealed after he brutally bludgeoned Lilie James to death at an inner-Sydney private school.
National
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The killer of Lilie James calmly sat in his car for two hours after he brutally bludgeoned her to death at an inner-Sydney private school before he called police.
The body of Paul Thijssen, 24, was spotted by tradies at Vaucluse in water near Diamond Bay Reserve about 8am Friday, where police had earlier been searching for him.
Thijssen, 24, had dated teacher James, 21, before the couple broke up around a week ago.
Ms James, 21, a staff member at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney’s CBD, was found with “serious head injuries” by police in the school’s gym bathroom just after midnight on Wednesday.
Cops had received a triple-zero call from Netherlands-born Thijssen who also worked at the school, informing them a body was at the school.
Officers arrived at the gym to find Ms James had been beaten to death with a hammer.
Security cameras show Thijssen, dressed in black, arriving at Chris Bang Crescent in Vaucluse, at 8.47pm.
He is later seen exiting his silver Lexus and walking along the cliff side footpath at 9.03pm.
In the footage, he heads towards a bin, which police sources alleged he may have dumped the hammer he allegedly used a murder weapon.
Thijssen sat in his car until 9.49pm and then drove to another location nearby where he waited two hours before phoning police.
On Friday morning officers pulled a body from the water at the base of the cliff near Diamond Bay Reserve.
Fingerprints from the remains were cross referenced with those kept at the Dutch embassy leading to confirmation the body was Thijssen’s, the Daily Mail reports.
Ms James was found by police just after midnight on Wednesday in a “confronting” scene.
The Sydney Morning Herald cited police sources not authorised to speak publicly on the investigation who also said Ms James’ wounds were inflicted by a hammer.
Ms James and Thijssen met on Wednesday night where a fight ensued.
CCTV footage obtained by police reportedly shows Thijssen following Ms James into the gym bathroom, before he is seen leaving the area over an hour later.
Four hours later, Thijssen reportedly rang police to inform them of a body on school grounds which should be investigated.
Officers soon arrived at the school after Ms James’ family alerted police as she hadn’t returned home.
It’s understood Thijssen — who comes from a privileged family — moved to Australia from the Netherlands in 2015 and began studying at St Andrew’s.
He had been a sports captain as a student, graduating in 2017.
Thijssen later secured a job as a cricket and hockey coach after graduating.
He spent 18 months alone in Australia during the Covid pandemic, before reuniting with his family in the Netherlands, according to The Daily Mail.
An unmanned source told the publication the 24-year-old may have been affected by this dark time, however, noted he is “not psychotic”.
Parents of students were told of the “critical incident” via text message from the school on Thursday.
“SACS is closed today and Friday (26-27 Oct) due to a critical incident. Yr12 exams will be held in BBC as normal. Yr5 camp will continue as normal. Mr Swibel,” it read.
An update later in the morning read: “No students were involved in the incident. Police are currently conducting an investigation in the SAH building. We will keep you updated. Mr Swibel.”
– with NCA NewsWire
Originally published as Lilie James school death: Killer’s haunting two-hour act
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