Dutch model's time of death doesn't correspond with fall

The time that witnesses heard Dutch model Ivana Smit fall from an apartment building in Kuala Lumpur in December, does not correspond with the time of death stated in the police report, was revealed in the Coroner's Court on Thursday, AD reports.

The owner of a small restaurant on a square behind the apartment building heard a very loud noise between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on December 7th. He is 100 percent certain it was after 1:00 p.m., because one of his regular customers always comes at one and he was already there, he told the court. The noise was louder than when a child drops something from a higher floor, he heard it clearly above the noise of traffic. "It sounded like a stone fell through a roof." According to the police report, Ivana died at least 3 hours before 1:00 p.m.

The 18-year-old Dutch woman went home with American couple Luna and Alexander Johnson after a night out on December 7th. Her naked body was found a few hours later on a sixth floor balcony of their apartment building. She'd fallen from their 20th floor apartment. The Malaysian authorities concluded that her death was an accident, but her family does not believe it. A private detective and a forensic pathologist looked into this case and both concluded that there are signs of a crime.

The so-called Coroner's Court in Malaysia is currently holding hearings to determine whether Ivana's death was a crime. On Thursday, the fifth day of the process, it became increasingly clear that the technical detectives who went to the Johnsons' apartment - after a cleaning lady had cleaned up - did not do a proper investigation, according to the newspaper.

There is a lot of confusion about footprints that led to the balcony from which Ivana fell. This includes confusion about the number of footprints and their size, which does not match Ivana's shoe size, but is a size smaller. It also rained that night, so some footprints washed away. But those leading to the balcony remained clear. 

The investigators also left possible evidence behind, including a number of lighters and an empty cigarette pack. Four fingerprints belonging to Ivana were found, but the detectives made no note of where they were found. They also did not take photographs of the young woman's body.

The Johnons were called to testify on Wednesday, but they didn't show up.