Media: Autopsy Report Allegedly Says Lora Smith Was Raped
Georgian media says they obtained the autopsy results of the Samkharauli Forensics Bureau, which reads that Lora Smith was raped and her son, Caleb (4), was shot point-blank.
As reported, the examination revealed that the DNA of Malkhaz Kobauri, a shepherd arrested for the murder of the Smiths family, was found on the body of Lora Smith.
However, this is not the final conclusion, and in the near future, the results of complex expertise will be revealed and the investigation will reveal additional details.
Earlier it was reported that the police found photos of dead Lora Smith in 19-year old Kobauri’s mobile, which were taken after the woman fell into the ravine, near the waterfall.
Some shepherds stated that the detained showed them the photos of Lora Smith, adding he had found her body accidently.
During the initial questioning, Kobauri said it was he who killed the Smiths, but later he changed his testimony and declared at the trial that he was innocent.
His lawyer, Davit Girgvliani, says his defendant claims the Smiths were killed by two men allegedly from the North Caucasus, who turned up in Khada Gorge, Dusheti, in a black car. However, no one has claimed to have seen such a car there, where three members of the American family – Ryan Smith, his wife Lora and little Caleb, were found dead by the police on July 6.
The husband and wife were citizens of the US but had dual citizenship with Georgia, received in 2012. They had lived in the town of Marneuli for seven years and were well respected members of the local and expat community.
Malkhaz Kobauri was detained by the police on July 8 on murder charges. Tbilisi City Court ordered the pre-trial detention of the man on July 11. If found guilty, Kobauri faces life imprisonment.
The investigation is underway and the FBI is assisting the Georgian side to uncover the truth.
No official statements have been made about the new circumstances yet.
More information to follow.
By Thea Morrison
Photo source: Lora Smith’s Facebook
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