Posted on 10/20/2010 4:49:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A 26-year-old Belgian schoolteacher has been found guilty of killing her romantic rival by sabotaging her parachute in a skydiving love-triangle.
Els Clottemans on Wednesday sat stony-faced as the 12-member jury's verdict was read in the northeast Flemish town of Tongres at the end of a trial that captivated Belgium.
Clottemans, who claimed her innocence again before the verdict, faces between three years to life in prison. The sentence will be decided in a separate hearing.
The jurors replied "yes" to the question of her guilt and as to whether the crime was premeditated, judge Michel Jordans said in a televised verdict.
Clottemans stood trial for the death of 38-year-old Els Van Doren, a mother of three and experienced skydiver who plunged to her death in a garden when her parachute failed to open on November 18, 2006.
Investigators said both of Van Doren's parachutes had been interfered with and that two straps were cut.
Van Doren shared a passion with Clottemans for skydiving, as well as for the same man, Marcel Somers.
On the day of the accident, 12 skydivers boarded a Cessna and both women along with Somers and another man were supposed to join together in the air, but Clottemans jumped too late, leaving the others to form a trio.
But when the three separated and opened their parachutes, Van Doren's failed to open.
Police arrested Clottemans in January 2007, saying she had been staying with her lover a week before the fatal jump when Van Doren too showed up.
Investigators said Somers spent the night with the latter, throwing the younger woman out of his room and forcing her to sleep on a mattress in the living room, where Van Doren had left her parachute.
Clottemans denied messing with the parachute and says investigators were blinded by the belief she acted out of jealousy. She says there was no proof, no witnesses and no confession to bear out the charge.
they were both named Els?
there is your problem right there.
Somebody sabotaged the two chutes so I guess it boiled down to who had the opportunity, the know-how, AND the motive. Clottemans apparently had all three stikes.
Is that the one whose chute didn’t open?
She sounds like a real charmer, I am sure she taught the kids well
is there a pic?
Spiritually - yes.
the school teacher looks like she had a few hard landings herself
guilty, she looks old for her age
Note to self:
Don't jump unless flames are overwhelming the aircraft.
Three years for premeditated murder??? reminds me of that Country song “ If I’d killed her when I wanted to I’d be out by now”.
They both fell for the same man.
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