Edward Reeve murder trial: Jury hear of moment body was found

Two teenagers, a 16-year-old boy from Christchurch and a 17-year-old boy from Bournemouth, are accused of killing Mr Reeve, 35, at his home address in Heath Road, Walkford on New Year’s Eve, 2021.

The boys are alleged to have stabbed and slashed Mr Reeve 12 times after going to his house on New Year’s Eve.

READ MORE: Edward Reeve murder trial: Live updates from day five of case

He wasn’t found until January 4, when two of his friends went to his address after not hearing from him.

The police interview of one of those people, known as Friend 1, was played to jurors at Winchester Crown Court on Friday.

She said she last spoke to the 35-year-old on December 30, and it was the “same as usual”.

Between then and January 4, she tried to phone him a number of times but didn’t get an answer, the court heard.

She told officers: “It was a gut feeling, we need to go check on him, he never doesn't answer his phone.

“There was a smell in the porch, like cat ****. I had an overwhelming sense something's not right.

“I went round the back, it's glass we can see through. I took one step and saw him and I walked back round the front of the house.

“I saw the chair on the floor, I moved my body more forward and saw him lying there, I knew it was him because of the shirt and stubble.

"He was face up, staring at the ceiling. He was wearing a beige, stripy shirt and this part (moustache) of his face was covered in blood.”

Friend 1, who helped Mr Reeve keep his house tidy and look after himself, said she also saw blood at the front of the property.

“My heart sank”, she said.

The court heard earlier in the day how the accused teenager from Christchurch, on January 3 returned to Mr Reeve’s address.

At 6.07pm, he travelled to Hinton Admiral Train Station where he hired a Beryl Bike. GPS from the bike shows he went “virtually” to the front door of the house, jurors were told.

DS Sarah Gedge, officer in the case, said he was at the house for approximately ten minutes before returning to Christchurch.

Both boys deny murder, the Christchurch teen admits having a bladed article, the Bournemouth teen denies the same charge.

Neither can be named for legal reasons and the trial continues.