A depositions hearing into the fatal stabbing of Mangere liquor store owner Shiu Prasad yesterday traced footprints alleged to have been made by the man charged with his murder.
William Samson Holtz, a 41-year-old unemployed labourer of Mangere, is appearing in the Manukau District Court on three separate charges of aggravated robbery as well as the aggravated robbery and murder of Mr Prasad last August.
Forensic scientist Anthony Larkin told the court that footprints made by Nike shoes likely to be those worn by Holtz did not correspond with information Holtz gave police about his movements inside the store.
The police prosecutor, Richard Marchant, said Holtz told police that he confronted an unknown offender leaning over Mr Prasad in the warehouse. He walked two steps into the office, then turned and left the shop by running behind the counter and out the front door.
But Mr Larkin said the set of Nike footprints followed a track out of the office on the other side of the counter.
Mr Larkin earlier told the court that a forensic test of footprints included considering the size, tread and wear patterns, and any random damage to the shoe.
Numerous prints near the till indicated activity in that area.
Luminol tests uncovered two sets of footprints in the shop - one belonging to Mr Prasad and the second probably made by the Nike shoes.
A trail of bloodied prints showed Mr Prasad left the office after he had been stabbed, and walked out the entrance at the front of the shop and along the footpath towards a video shop. He then walked back to the outside of his shop, where he was helped by a passerby.
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