Disappearing evidence: Karin Grech family members file court protest over missing envelope fragments

Family say AG, Commissioner of Police and the Director General of Courts responsible for lack of investigation progress, argue missing envelope fragments could have shed light on the crime

The family of murdered teenager Karin Grech, who was killed by a letter bomb in 1977, have formally held the Attorney General, Commissioner of Police and the Director General of Courts responsible for the disappearance of a crucial piece of evidence.

In a judicial protest filed today, Dr Edwin Grech, his wife Pearl and son Kevin point out that the inquiry into Karin’s death is still ongoing, 40 years on.

The Grech family filed the act, saying the defendants are responsible for the lack of progress of the investigation more so now that they have been made aware that fragments of the envelope which had contained the explosive, have apparently gone missing from the courts.

The plaintiffs argued that these could have shed light on the crime, thanks to new techniques of forensic science that have developed in the 40 years since Karin Grech’s murder.

The case dates back to 1977, when Edwin Grech had been exercising his profession as a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist in the United Kingdom. He had obeyed a request to return to Malta during the Doctors’ strike to provide services as a consultant and head of department in St. Luke’s Hospital.

Less than three months after his return, on 28 December 1977, a large brown envelope containing a packet, wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper was received at Grech’s home. It was a letterbomb. His 15 year-old daughter, Karin opened the package and was severely wounded in the ensuing blast, dying later that same day. Her brother, Kevin Mark Vincent Grech was also grievously injured and had to be treated abroad.

“Whilst a magisterial inquiry into the murder is still ongoing, despite the indications, assistance and cooperations of the Grechs, there has been no positive outcome and those who perpetrated this barbaric and shocking act have to this day not been brought before a court,” reads the protest.

It goes on to say that Edwin Grech had recently been informed that one of the most important pieces of forensic evidence  - pieces of the envelope that had contained the explosive - had gone missing from the acts of the magisterial inquiry. Developments in forensic techniques and technology could have made these pieces of evidence more useful.

The Grechs said they were formally protesting against the lack of progress and were holding the AG, Commissioner of Police and the Director General of Courts liable for damages and costs.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Yanika Vidal signed the judicial protest.