Cross-examination reveals clues of troubled youths

Erin Tanti, the 23-year-old supply teacher accused of murdering and assisting Lisa Maria Zahra, 15, in a suicide from Dingli cliffs, was said to have failed to kill himself and then spent 12 hours crawling up to an outcrop beneath Dingli cliffs to alert people to his situation.

Various police witnesses testified today in the second day of the compilation of evidence against Tanti. Rescuer Kevin Debattista said Tanti told him at the time of the rescue that the two had jumped from the cliffs at around 4am. Police sergeant Sylvana Briffa also said that Tanti claimed to have swalled 42 aspirins, with Zahra, before jumping.

Weeks before the incident of 18-19 March, in which it was already revealed that Tanti's relationship with Zahra, a student at the St Michael Foundation where he was recently drafted in as a supply drama teacher, had been discovered by her family. CCTV footage from the family home had confirmed he had visited her house, and a family worker had alerted her father Anthony Zahra, to his presence in the house.

Briffa said that Tanti's mother Caroline was aware of the relationship, describing Zahra as "looking happy" weeks before the incident.

Briffa said that Caroline Tanti was aware that her son described Zahra as "troubled", that he wanted to get in touch with support agency Appogg on her behalf. Tanti was also said to have told officers in the ambulance that Zahra's father "was abusive."

Under cross-examination, police officers and inspector Keith Arnaud revealed details of Zahra's personal life.

She blogged on a personal Tumblr account using the username 'redrum', the plot device used in Stephen King's novel 'The Shining'. Her blog was called 'Omens of Darkness'.

Bloodstains were also found beneath her pillow in her bedroom: police sergeant Bernadette Valletta, who led the search in her bedroom, said that "relatives explained that Lisa Maria had slashed her wrists the day before, and it was not the first time."

The police also said they found cannabis grass and cigarette paper in the Zahra bedroom.

The police exhibited personal notes belonging to Zahra, and a poetry book gifted to her by Tanti; the defence also asked the police about a soft toy, a teddy bear, containing blades inside - but police said they did not seize the soft toys inside the bedroom.

Tanti is denying the charges against him.

13:15 Compilation of evidence terminated for the day - the case is put off for tomorrow. Chris Mangion

13:08 "Realising that he did not die, he tried to find a place to jump again but could not," Debattista says, who also desribes him as having been calm and composed at the time of the rescue. Chris Mangion

13:07 Debattista says that Tanti told him at the point of being rescued, that the two jumped off the cliffs at 4am and that it took him 12 hours to crawl to the outcrop from where he was rescued. Chris Mangion

13:05 The rescuer, Konrad Debattista, says: "Tanti said that when Lisa Maria Zahra jumped, he closed his eyes and jumped after her." Chris Mangion

13:01 Rescuers had found the body, while another police officer walked down a path to where the body of Zahra was found. Chris Mangion

12:58 The officer says he asked the rescued man, Erin Tanti, for identification. Tanti replied, giving his name and saying that he had been in the company of Lisa Maria Zahra. Chris Mangion

12:57 Now testifying, police sergeant Konrad Debattista, recounting the 20-minute rescue operation. Chris Mangion

12:53 The police is exhibiting various pieces of paper, chocolate wrappings, and receipts, all containing writing on them. Police say none of Zahra's soft toys were taken. Chris Mangion

12:53 Bernadette Valletta, the police sergeant from the Vice Squad now testiying, has exhibited a black book entitled 'L-Gharaq u l-Ghaqal' (sweat and diligence). Inside, the dedication reads: 'Lisa, the following pages give no answers.' Chris Mangion

12:37 Lisa Maria Zahra's father Anthony arrived in Malta at 2pm on the 19 March, and informed that his daughter was missing and that a magisterial inquiry had been launched. He had last spoken to his daughter on the 18 March. Her brother Nicholas last saw Lisa Maria Zahra on the 19 March. Chris Mangion

12:35 The police also said they found cannabis grass and cigarette paper in the Zahra bedroom. Chris Mangion

12:35 Details from the Zahra bedroom search: Police sergeant Bernadette Valletta led the search in Lisa Maria Zahra's bedroom, finding "a patch of blood" under the pillow. "Relatives explained that Lisa Maria had slashed her wrists the day before, and it was not the first time." Chris Mangion

12:34 Arnaud now says that days before the 18-19 March incident, Tanti asked students for his drama lesson to "invent names" - Tanti apparently chose 'Cliff Dingli' for himself. Chris Mangion

12:22 Inspector Arnaud says he is aware of these writings. He says he does not recall "a teddy bear containing blades" in Zahra's bedroom, but that relatives and friends of the victim mentioned its existence. Chris Mangion

12:21 Defence counsel Michael Sciriha is now reading out excerpts from what Zahra would have written in a selection of personal notes. "I want the skin to tearm from me / I want the blood to wash from me / My vision to get blurred..." These were taken from Lisa's Tumblr blog. Chris Mangion

12:14 Arnaud: "Tanti knew Zahra was a vulnerable person. He told us that he was aware that she had a difficult life." Chris Mangion

12:13 Arnaud confirms that investigators found a small book of poetry given to Zahra by Tanti. "The book contains poems about death and suicide" - police inspector Keith Arnaud. Chris Mangion

12:12 Another note read - paraphrasing what's being said in court - "poppy, a cauliflower is a cabbage with a high level of education... I already believe that you are a cauliflower. Exams mean shit, but good luck anyway." Chris Mangion

12:11 One of the notes, sent on Valentine's Day, tells "Dearest Lisa" how "insignificant [his] life is and how hard [he] was finding it to give purposed to life." Chris Mangion

12:10 Lawyer Joe Giglio, also in parte civile for the Zahras, has exhibited two notes that appear to be signed by Tanti. Chris Mangion

12:09 Arnaud says Tanti started a conversation at 6:30pm, that lasted until around 11:30pm - he mentions that Tanti "told Zahra he had bought aspirin"; and that he "asked Zahra if she wrote any letters and not to leave it where it could be easily found". Chris Mangion

12:08 Lawyer Gianella de Marco, appearing in parte civile for the Zahra family, asks police inspector Keith Aranud about the text messages exchanged between Zahra and Tanti the night of the incident. Chris Mangion

11:58 Defence counsel Sciriha asks Arnaud to confirm if blood-stained items were found in Zahra's bedroom. Arnaud says he did not search bedroom, but he was "aware that blood-stained items were found". Chris Mangion

11:56 'Redrum' may refer to 'murder' spelled backward, a plot device in various works such as Stephen King's novel The Shining Chris Mangion

11:55 A court IT expert will be reporting on any findings relating to the incident. Arnaud says a Tumblr account belonging to Zahra, named 'Omens of Darkness', "contained wierd postings". Zahra used the username 'red rum'. Chris Mangion

11:52 Police Inspector Keith Arnaud takes the witness stand for cross-examination. Chris Mangion

11:51 Both Zahra's and Tanti's computers have been seized by police. Chris Mangion

11:46 Defence counsel Michael Sciriha cross-examining. He asks what instructions the court's IT expert was given, particularly relating to the contents of Erin Tanti's Facebook account. Witness Sylvana Briffa replies that she cannot answer as she does not have all information with her, but did not rule out that others officers would have this information. Chris Mangion

11:32 Briffa says that Tanti's father told police that he saw his son a few days before the incident. Chris Mangion

11:31 Briffa is saying that on 20 March at 2:30am Tanti texted his mother saying he was unwell and that he was scared he would injure himself. The witness says it was 20 March, although this is also the day after the tragic incident. Chris Mangion

11:30 The Sunday before the incident, Zahra, Erin Tanti and his mother, and a friend of Erin Tanti, celebrated Erin Tanti's birthday together. Chris Mangion

11:28 11:28 - Briffa: "Erin Tanti told his mother that Lisa was 'troubled' and that he wanted to get in touch with Appogg on her behalf." Chris Mangion

11:27 Briffa says Caroline Tanti said she described Zahra as "looking happy then". Chris Mangion

11:27 Briffa says Caroline Tanti, the mother of the accused, told officers that she and her husband had been living separately since December. "She knew about Lisa because she had done her hair and invited her to lunch before the incident." Chris Mangion

11:21 Briffa says his car was found "at the top of the cliff". Chris Mangion

11:21 Briffa tells the court that Tanti would have said that they planned to commite suicide, swallowing 42 aspirins each, before deciding to jump. Chris Mangion

11:20 Briffa: "In the ambulance, Tanti told officers that he was with Lisa, trying to run away from her abusive father." Chris Mangion

11:20 On 19 March, the Rabat police recieved a report that a man was in distress at Dingli Cliffs. On-site rescuers found Tanti and the body of Zahra. Chris Mangion

11:17 Searches at Tanti's own apartment in Valletta resulted in a three-line letter and "an empty cash box". Phone call localisation revealed that around 11:30pm, both Tanti and Zahra were in the environs of Naxxar. Chris Mangion

11:15 Briffa, from the Vice Squad, recalls the events of the 18-19 March: a report was filed by household staff from the Zahra residence that Lisa Maria, 15, had gone missing, and alerted the police to CCTV footage showing a man driving in a Mazda, seen entering the residence at 9:40pm. At 5:30am on 19 March, Zahra's brother Nicholas Zahra was said to have found his sister Lisa Maria missing, and an accompanying suicide note. Chris Mangion

11:12 MaltaToday has closed the commenting threads to all court reports in the Tanti case Chris Mangion

11:12 Inspector Sylvana Briffa takes the stand. Chris Mangion

11:11 The defence now is saying that "a particular newspaper" did not report the facts as reported in court, and the magistrate is also requesting that the media report the proceedings accurately. Chris Mangion

11:11 Yesterday, the IGM issued the following statement on the reporting of suicides. Chris Mangion

11:10 In a first statement, Arnaud asks that the media shows more sensitivity to the case, because it involves a minor. Chris Mangion

11:09 Today starts the cross-examination of Police Inspector Keith Arnaud by the defence Chris Mangion

Tanti and Zahra were said to have had a relationship, before they were found out by her family, a factor that pushed Tanti to consider killing himself or leaving the country.

On 18 March, Tanti was discovered to have spent the night at Zahra’s house, upon which the house’s handyman, Martin Ciangura, reported the incident to her father Anthony Zahra. Zahra on his part cancelled a trip overseas to return to Malta, while Ciangura and Zahra’s son Nicholas, filed a police report.

Erin Tanti and Lisa Maria Zahra exchanged SMS texts over the course of five hours until 11:30pm, when he turned up in his car to pick her up and drove to Dingli.

Earlier in the day, he was said to have told Zahra in a text message that he would “stab himself” if police or her father tried to stop him, ostensibly fearful that he had been discovered in a relationship with her. In her SMS texts replying to him, Zahra told him to ‘calm down’.

In his car, Tanti had his British passport and almost €3,000 in cash and cheques. Arnaud said that Tanti told him he was planning to kill himself, but that if it failed he would have left the island. He was said to have taken the money “because he was uncertain about what to do.”

Tanti availed himself of the right to remain silent during his questioning at the police headquarters.