Bali murder case: police want Sara Connor, David Taylor to take part in crime reconstruction

POLICE plan to take Aussie woman Sara Connor and her boyfriend back to the beach where a Bali cop was killed as part of a crime reconstruction.

SHIRTLESS and shoeless Bali murder suspect David Taylor cuts a forlorn figure in the police holding cells.

For the past 10 days he has not been allowed to speak with his girlfriend, Byron Bay woman Sara Connor, with whom he is suspected of killing a Bali police officer.

Connor, 45, is being held in a different part of the police station, in a holding cell in the upstairs section, near the investigator’s offices while British man Taylor is in the main holding cell block.

Bali murder suspect David Taylor cuts a forlorn figure with other prisoners at the Denpasar police station in Bali. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

For the first time in more than a week Sara Connor has had her first visitors in jail.

Clearly overwhelmed with emotion Connor hugged the two women warmly as they greeted her inside a holding cell at Denpasar police station.

It is the first time since she was detained more than a week ago and declared a murder suspect that Connor has received visitors in jail.

Two friends of Sara Connor visit her at Denpasar Police station cell.

Friends comfort Sara Connor in her at Denpasar Police station cell.

For the past week she has seen her lawyers and Australian Consular officials but late yesterday two women and an Indonesian man spent more than an hour visiting her inside the holding cell.

The two women left without commenting, covering their heads with sarongs.

Since their arrest, on August 19, Connor and Taylor have been deliberately separated by police, forbidden from speaking with each other in order to avoid collusion in the retelling of their alleged roles in the police officer’s death.

Taylor, 34, is held in the police jail holding cells. He is currently sharing a cell with 11 prisoners in basic surrounds.

Police take Sara Connor away to be fingerprinted. Picture: Lukman S Bintoro

On Saturday, he was photographed in the common area, wearing only board shorts. Another British man, a suspect on drugs charges, possession of methamphetamine, is also in the same police jail.

Connor has been held, since her arrest, in a holding cell upstairs in the main police station, where she has a simple mat to sleep on and an Indonesian-style toilet and washbasin. A friend recently bought her a pillow to use.

Bali

Most of the interrogation is now completed. Denpasar police chief Hadi Purnomo said the couple were the only suspects in the murder.

On Saturday, Connor was fingerprinted by officers, who hope to complete the brief of evidence against them within 20 days. On Friday they underwent psychological testing, a normal part of Indonesian police practice.

GALLERY

Connor kept a black and white sarong over her head as she was escorted from the cell area to be fingerprinted.

Taylor, according to police and his lawyers, has admitted to allegedly bashing police officer Wayan Sudarsa repeatedly about the head with a beer bottle, the officer’s own binoculars and a mobile phone. Connor however denies any role in the murder, saying she tried to separate her boyfriend and Sudarsa, who were in a scuffle, arguing over her stolen handbag.

Byron Bay woman Sara Connor and her boyfriend David Taylor are the only suspects in the murder, say police.

Differences between the versions of Connor and Taylor emerged on Friday. Taylor, according to his lawyers and police, claims Connor allegedly hit the officer as well.

Police chief Purnomo said on Saturday there was now a total of 15 witnesses in the case. He said “for sure” there were only two suspects in the murder.

He said the motive was a belief that the police officer had stolen Connor’s handbag that night on the beach. Mr Purnomo said it was alleged that the couple then tried to “frisk” the officer which caused offence and then a fight.

Investigators hope to carry out a reconstruction of the crime on Monday or the next day, where they will take both Connor and Taylor back to the beach scene to re-enact the crime. Police officers will play the roles of the dead officer and witnesses.

Mr Purnomo said that Bali police had been co-ordinating with the Australian Federal Police and the couple had no criminal record in Australia.

Consular officials have been visiting the pair each day but so far no family members have arrived in Bali.