0:00:00 > 0:00:00- Subtitles
0:00:00 > 0:00:02- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:00:07 > 0:00:10- Secrets...
0:00:10 > 0:00:12- ..lies...
0:00:12 > 0:00:14- ..deceit...
0:00:15 > 0:00:17- ..violence.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21- Every criminal case is a distinct - challenge for the detective.
0:00:24 > 0:00:29- To discover the truth, - they need patience and curiosity.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43- Tonight, - I'm following North Wales Police...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- ..as they hunt for a Polish man...
0:00:46 > 0:00:50- ..who is suspected of murdering - a woman near Wrexham.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58- When you looked into his eyes, - they were cold and unfeeling.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- For a whole year, there was - no sign of Ermatati Rodgers.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06- Without a body, proving murder - would be a challenge.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10- He didn't want to help us at all. - It was very frustrating.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37- Saturday, 5 January, 2008.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44- That was when Wrexham Police got - the call that a 41-year-old woman...
0:01:44 > 0:01:47- ..from the Gwersyllt area - was missing.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52- Police officers from Wrexham - went door to door...
0:01:53 > 0:01:56- ..asking neighbours if they'd seen - her, but no-one had.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00- Later, they went into her house...
0:02:00 > 0:02:04- ..and found very little - out of place...
0:02:04 > 0:02:09- ..apart from food on the stove - that was still cooking.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17- Originally from Indonesia...
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- ..Ermatati Rodgers had moved to - Wales about ten years previously.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24- She'd separated from her husband...
0:02:24 > 0:02:28- ..and lived alone in a flat - on the Bryn Awel estate.
0:02:34 > 0:02:40- She enjoyed life, she enjoyed her - food and she had friends.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42- She enjoyed socialising.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- Her disappearance became more - suspicious...
0:02:48 > 0:02:53- ..when police found her coat, her - purse and her passport in her flat.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00- They also found a receipt...
0:03:00 > 0:03:04- ..showing that Tati had been - shopping the night before.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06- She appeared on the shop's - CCTV footage.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17- They also discovered - a small red diary.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21- In this book, she kept names - and telephone numbers.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- Her friends, we thought.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28- By phoning people on the list...
0:03:28 > 0:03:32- ..detectives discovered that the - last person to see Tati alive...
0:03:33 > 0:03:35- ..was a man named Lukasz Reszpondek.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42- Lukasz Reszpondek was from Poland...
0:03:42 > 0:03:46- ..and he had a wife and two children - living here in Rhostyllen.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50- He worked at the cheese factory - near Wrexham...
0:03:50 > 0:03:54- ..and there, during the summer - of 2004, he met Tati Rodgers.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- Detectives went to his home on - Trinity Street to question him.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05- He willingly handed over his camera - and his laptop to be examined.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13- He was very cool that day. - He was very happy to talk to us.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- He came out with all kinds - of stories about Tati.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23- According to Reszpondek, he'd gone - to Tati's flat on the Friday...
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- ..to give her - a late Christmas present.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33- Reszpondek said that he'd given her - a lift to the bus stop on Mold Road.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38- But there was no CCTV evidence - to show where Tati went next.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42- Detectives began to doubt his story.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46- They asked him to come to the police - station in Wrexham.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- It was this detective - who was responsible...
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- ..for planning and supervising - the interview.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- A little bit of psychology - and tactics come into it...
0:04:59 > 0:05:03- ..in terms of how much we tell them - about what we know.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05- We always keep a little bit back...
0:05:05 > 0:05:09- ..because if we tell them everything - we know, they will lie.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15- In cases like this, the people - we deal with usually tell lies.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- Lukasz Reszpondek had plenty - to say...
0:05:18 > 0:05:21- ..and answered all the police - questions.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- It was very obvious to me...
0:05:26 > 0:05:31- ..that some of what he said - in that interview didn't make sense.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34- At the end of the interview...
0:05:34 > 0:05:40- ..I advised that we change his - status from witness to suspect.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49- The police managed - to retrieve photos...
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- ..that Reszpondek had deleted - from his camera.
0:05:53 > 0:05:54- Sexual photos of Tati.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- Despite this, he denied that - they were in a relationship.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- But, the examination - of Reszpondek's laptop...
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- ..proved to be a turning point - in the investigation.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11- When they examined his laptop...
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- ..police discovered that he'd been - researching the web in Polish...
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- ..about how the human body - decomposes.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21- He'd also been searching - for information...
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- ..about creatures that live - on dead bodies.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30- This was something - that astounded us all.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34- To think that he'd been searching - for these terms on his computer.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40- The team were now confident that - they were investigating a murder.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- But, without a body, - they'd need more evidence.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57- We had to examine Lukasz - Reszpondek's bank details...
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- ..and look into where he'd been - spending his money.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06- One of the places he'd used - his bank card...
0:07:07 > 0:07:11- ..was at a large DIY shop - in Wrexham.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18- Among the items he bought - was a spade, rope...
0:07:18 > 0:07:21- ..plastic sheeting - and things like that.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- Some people have called that - a body disposal kit.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29- They decided to arrest him.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33- But when they searched his house, - the team faced another puzzle.
0:07:34 > 0:07:40- At the house, - they found the spade, rope...
0:07:40 > 0:07:45- ..and all the items he'd bought - from the DIY shop.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49- None of them had been used.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55- But then, they noticed that he'd - withdrawn 200 cash from his bank.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01- So the detectives went back to - Wickes to look again at the CCTV.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- They saw that - he'd gone back there...
0:08:05 > 0:08:10- ..the day after detectives had - questioned him for the first time.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14- He'd bought a second set of the same - items including the spade and rope.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- This time he paid in cash.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20- Police suspected that he'd got - rid of the first set...
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- ..after burying Tati's body - and bought the second set...
0:08:24 > 0:08:27- ..in an attempt to deceive - detectives.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33- They needed to question him again.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37- Lukasz Reszpondek asked - for a Polish translator.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46- You were arrested earlier today - on suspicion of murder.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47- SPEAKS POLISH
0:08:54 > 0:08:56- No comment.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02- Now, he refused to cooperate - or answer any questions.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- Can you confirm to me - that you are Polish?
0:09:06 > 0:09:08- SPEAKS POLISH
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- No comment.
0:09:13 > 0:09:19- When you looked into his eyes, - they were cold and unfeeling.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23- That's what I've found, over the - years, in dealing with killers.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26- Sometimes the answer - is in their eyes.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31- But there was insufficient evidence - to charge him.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- After three days, - they had to release him on bail.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- He didn't want to help us at all. - It was very frustrating.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- Six months after Tati's - disappearance...
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- ..the police were no nearer - to solving the mystery.
0:09:54 > 0:10:00- The man suspected of killing her was - sending the police round in circles.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05- We knew that we were very close - to finding Tati's body.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09- That's what kept us going.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16- But, without a body, it was very - difficult to prove it was murder.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- The hunt was still on - for the detectives.
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0:10:29 > 0:10:29- Subtitles
0:10:29 > 0:10:31- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:10:37 > 0:10:41- Six months after Tati Rodgers - disappeared in Wrexham in 2008...
0:10:42 > 0:10:48- ..police suspected that this Polish - man had murdered her.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- But there was no sign of her body.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00- So, they put together an undercover - team to watch Lukasz Reszpondek.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02- Twenty-four hours a day.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09- It was very obvious that - Lukasz Reszpondek...
0:11:09 > 0:11:13- ..very often drove through the lanes - around Erddig.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19- We began to wonder - whether Tati Rodgers' body...
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- ..was in one of the fields - around Erddig.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33- Erddig is only a few minutes away - from Reszpondek's house.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- It extends across 1,200 acres.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- Police placed nine secret cameras - along the country lanes...
0:11:43 > 0:11:46- ..to try and find out where he went.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52- Because it's so quiet here...
0:11:52 > 0:11:56- ..he'd notice if police - came looking for him...
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- ..so it was easier - to put cameras in the hedges.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- But the cameras did not lead them - to the body.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17- In March 2009, the police decided - to stage a stunt.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21- Fourteen months after Tati's - disappearance...
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- ..they announced to the media...
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- ..that they were going to begin - digging at Erddig for her body.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- I can't confirm exactly - where we are at the moment...
0:12:31 > 0:12:35- ..but I can say that we're on the - outskirts of Wrexham near Erddig.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- Police officers have been digging - here all day.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- There are forensic experts here...
0:12:41 > 0:12:44- ..and specialist dogs are going - to be examining the land.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Police were offering a financial - reward for information.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53- I would encourage anyone - who has any information...
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- ..to come forward and talk to us.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- I should also say that there is - a reward of 100,000...
0:12:59 > 0:13:01- ..for anyone who has information.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- It was now the detectives' turn - to trick Reszpondek...
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- ..in the hope that - he would return to the body.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16- There was a forensic team - in the area where we are today...
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- ..to try and provoke a reaction - from Lukasz Reszpondek.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22- And that's what happened.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33- Reszpondek took the bait - and now he was obviously agitated.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Reszpondek went out to buy - camouflage clothing...
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- ..and he came to the top of the hill - here with his binoculars.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- He watched the police - examining the fields.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50- But he didn't know that the police - were watching him, watching them.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55- In the days that followed...
0:13:55 > 0:14:00- ..Reszpondek climbed to the top of - Bersham slag heap thirteen times.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- He spent up to eight hours a day - on top of the hill, watching.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09- But, over time, as the police - continued digging for evidence...
0:14:09 > 0:14:11- ..Reszpondek lost interest.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20- The detectives now believed that...
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- ..they were searching - in the wrong place.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- Their next plan was to move - the search.
0:14:28 > 0:14:34- We decided to start digging in - a different part of the fields.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40- So that's what happened, - and Reszpondek 'responded'.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58- Late that night, Reszpondek left his - house carrying a spade.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- He drove in the direction of Erddig.
0:15:03 > 0:15:04- But, as he left his house...
0:15:05 > 0:15:09- ..undercover police were watching - his movements carefully.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- He parked his car - and walked across the fields.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25- The police suspected that he was - going to try and move Tati's body.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31- Wearing his camouflage clothing, he - was caught on the secret cameras...
0:15:31 > 0:15:33- ..concealed in the hedgerows.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37- Then, he disappeared - into the darkness...
0:15:37 > 0:15:41- ..out of the sight of the police - and the cameras.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- They didn't see him for three hours.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50- When he emerged from the fields, - there was no sign of the body.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57- The followed him back to his house.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- But, in the early hours of the - morning, he left home again.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14- At three in the morning, Reszpondek - came here to Wrexham Police station.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- He told them he could show them - the location of Tati's body.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23- He said that she'd dropped dead - in his flat in January 2008...
0:16:23 > 0:16:25- ..and that, in a panic, - he'd buried her.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30- Lukasz Reszpondek was arrested - again.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35- The following morning, he led police - to the body of Tati Rodgers.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41- For fourteen months...
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- ..he'd denied knowing anything - about her disappearance.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- And now, he insisted - that'd she died naturally.
0:16:53 > 0:16:59- For the first time, he told us that - he was responsible for burying her.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03- But, he was still saying - that he hadn't killed her.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12- SPEAKS POLISH
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- The team's task now...
0:17:20 > 0:17:24- ..was to prove that he'd been - deceiving them the whole time.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33- SPEAKS POLISH
0:17:56 > 0:18:00- We asked him whether he had been - lying to us for fifteen months...
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- ..when he had the chance to tell us - what the truth was.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08- He admitted that he had lied to us.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- Then, we asked him, how were we - supposed to believe him now...
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- ..when he said that - he hadn't killed her?
0:18:17 > 0:18:20- Of course, - he couldn't answer that question.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- After uncovering the body, - a post-mortem was held...
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- ..at Glan Clwyd Hospital.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38- The job of the pathologist was - to find out how Tati died.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42- Hi. I'm Mali.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44- Nice to meet you.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48- It can be difficult to determine - the cause of death of a body...
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- ..that has been buried in the ground - for fourteen months.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- But this case was different.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- The fact that she was buried - in clay...
0:19:04 > 0:19:07- ..which is a fairly dense medium...
0:19:07 > 0:19:12- ..helped to protect her from - the degree of decomposition...
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- ..that you would normally expect - from someone who has been buried...
0:19:16 > 0:19:18- ..for that length of time.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- Tati's body was found - in a rounded shape...
0:19:21 > 0:19:27- ..which preserved important - evidence.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29- There were some very subtle marks...
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- ..internally to the muscles - of the neck...
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- ..with fractures - to both thyroid horns.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- They were what I considered - to be...
0:19:39 > 0:19:42- ..injuries highly suggestive - of fractures.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- That made me very suspicious.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50- According to the pathologist...
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- ..it was possible that Tati - had been strangled.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59- Any of these can be damaged - in compression of the neck.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- Particularly manual strangulation...
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- ..where a hand is placed - over someone's neck.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09- You can imagine that tightening - force around the neck...
0:20:09 > 0:20:12- ..compressing those structures there - which is why they snap.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- But with Reszpondek insisting that - she'd died of natural causes...
0:20:18 > 0:20:23- ..detectives went to Sumatra in - Indonesia to ask Tati's family...
0:20:23 > 0:20:25- ..about her medical history.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34- The family said that there was - nothing the matter with Tati...
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- ..before she left Indonesia.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42- Her father said that his family - lived into old age.
0:20:42 > 0:20:48- There was no reason for Tati - to drop dead.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58- The team now believed that - they had sufficient evidence...
0:20:58 > 0:21:00- ..to bring the case to court.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05- On 9 November, 2009...
0:21:06 > 0:21:09- ..Lukasz Reszpondek appeared - at Mold Crown Court.
0:21:13 > 0:21:14- He denied murder.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19- But after hearing the evidence - over a period of three weeks...
0:21:19 > 0:21:22- ..the jury found him guilty.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- He was jailed for life.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32- The judge sentenced him to a minimum - of eighteen years in prison.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- After months of undercover - surveillance...
0:21:46 > 0:21:48- ..and over fifty interviews...
0:21:49 > 0:21:53- ..proving that Lukasz Reszpondek - was a liar and a murderer...
0:21:53 > 0:21:54- ..was a relief for the team.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00- Pride is the word that I would use - - that we got to the truth.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08- That's what we look for - when we question suspects.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- We're looking for the truth.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17- I was pleased to see Lukasz - Reszpondek sent to prison for life.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25- Also, we got justice - for Tati's family...
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- ..who were so far away in Indonesia.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32- Tati's body was repatriated - to Indonesia.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- After months of anxiety - and uncertainty...
0:22:36 > 0:22:38- ..this was a comfort to her family.
0:22:42 > 0:22:47- So, eventually, - Tati returned to Indonesia.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52- This was much appreciated - by the family.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04- Reszpondek believed that - he had succeeded...
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- ..in tricking the police - and hiding his crime.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11- For fourteen months, - the disappearance of Tati Rodgers...
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- ..was a complete mystery - to her family and friends.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19- But the detectives persevered, - and they eventually succeeded...
0:23:19 > 0:23:22- ..in providing answers - and getting justice for them...
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- ..by putting the murderer - behind bars.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50- S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.
0:23:50 > 0:23:50- .