A wildlife photographer has told a court the upsetting story of finding the body of a “murder victim” while out taking pictures.
Craig Prosser was looking to capture kingfishers at a spot in the United Kingdom in 2021 when he instead discovered the body of missing 30-year-old Jorge Carreno.
A woman called Scarlet Blake is currently standing trial at Oxford Crown Court for Carreno’s murder — a crime she denies committing.
In court last Friday, as reported by the Oxford Mail, Prosser became emotional as he gave evidence to the jury about how he came to discover the cadaver.
Prosser had already passed the spot where Carreno’s body was lying when he doubled back and noticed something floating in the water.
“I stood on top of the cement rock and to my left, I saw what looked like a black satchel floating on the top,” the Oxford Mail reports Prosser as saying.
“I regularly see things floating in the water, my initial reaction was to try and pull it from the water and put it on the side.
“I probably would have needed a branch to fish it out. Then to my left, I saw the bottom, the sole of a shoe. It was white, or cream-coloured. I then saw what looked like the hem of cream trousers.”
It was at this moment the photographer’s voice began to break as he continued with his testimony.
“I wanted someone else to confirm before I phoned the emergency services so I waited for some passers-by,” he said.
Afterward, he saw two young men walking a dog; he approached them to double-check what he had seen. Prior to that, Prosser had seen a family but decided against asking them since they had children with them.
When the two men also saw Carenno’s corpse they called the emergency services who recovered the body.
Blake is accused of killing Carreno after he had left a night out and was walking home. It is alleged that she started a conversation with him before taking him to a secluded area where she strangled him.
The trial continues. To discover the court’s decision, follow the Oxford Mail who are podcasting the case.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.