Although the MACRO taskforce had investigated Jane, Ciara and Sarah’s disappearances together since the moment Jane went missing, but before 2012, there was no physical evidence linking the murders.

On Day 72 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, a ChemCentre scientist recounted the moment the first alleged forensic links were made, connecting Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s murders.

In 2012, blue polyester fibres found in Jane’s hair and on Ciara’s shirt were compared to each other, and matched.

For the first time, a forensic, physical, tangible link was made to link the murders of Jane and Ciara.

But they didn’t know where it came from.

It wasn’t until after Bradley Edwards’ arrest in 2016 that they tested Telstra pants - and they were found to match the colour and fibre make-up of the fibres found on Jane and Ciara.

Mr Powell also detailed how blue fibres found on the shorts the Karrakatta rape victim was wearing, also matched fibres of Telstra shorts from the 1990s, which police had sourced from former Telstra workers, as well as fibres found on Ciara Glennon.

As we know, Bradley Edwards has pleaded guilty to the rape at Karrakatta, but he denies the murders of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

During his second day on the stand, forensic scientist Rees Powell took the court through the individual critical fibres to the trial, what other fibres they match and why they’re important.

We got through 5 fibres today, so strap yourselves in for a long haul.

But as Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps explain, this evidence is so important to linking Jane Rimmer physically and forensically into the trial.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps, as they discuss the evidence from day 72.

***We couldn’t be in the studio today and are all on the phone, please bear with the audio quality***

Justice Hall has released some exhibits from the fibre evidence to the public, you can find those photos on thewest.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to [email protected]

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