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Body language experts reveal subtle details that showed Borce Ristevski lied about killing his wife

Body language experts have revealed the signs that indicated Borce Ristevski was lying about killing his wife Karen.

Ristevski was sentenced to nine years in jail with a non-parole period of six years last month after he pleaded guilty to his wife’s manslaughter.

Karen’s body was found wedged between two logs in a nature reserve at Mount Macedon eight months after the 47-year-old went missing from her home in Avondale Heights in Melbourne’s northwest in June 2016.

Karen Ristevski disappeared from her Avondale Heights home in June 2016. Source: 7 News
Karen Ristevski disappeared from her Avondale Heights home in June 2016. Source: 7 News

It was a mystery what happened to her, with her husband and daughter Sarah making a desperate public appeal for her to return home following her disappearance.

But while Ristevski was calling for the safe return of his wife, he knew all along what happened to her and where she was buried.

‘Borce, did you kill Karen?’

In a press conference after Karen went missing, 7 News crime reporter Cameron Baud asked the question on everybody’s mind: “Did you kill Karen?”

Body language expert and founder of My Alcomy, Sophie Zadeh, told Yahoo News Australia his response to this question played a part in revealing the truth behind her death.

“Notice Borce immediately turns away at this point,” she said.

“This is a distancing behaviour – an innate reactive response, stemming from our limbic brain, which is designed to keep us safe, it’s driven by emotion.

Reporter Cameron Baud (right) questioned Borce Ristevski about whether he killed his wife and mother of Sarah (left). Source: AAP
Reporter Cameron Baud (right) questioned Borce Ristevski about whether he killed his wife and mother of Sarah (left). Source: AAP

“While there is no real threat to Borce’s survival at that point in the interview, there is certainly a perceived threat since he is being accused of killing his wife.”

Ms Zadeh said when Ristevski was asked the question, his head turned slightly to the side.

“Borce doesn’t like what he just heard, reacting automatically and within the moment. It’s the timing and the significance of the words spoken which raises the red flag – especially when asked, ‘did you kill Karen?’,” she said.

The ‘dead giveaway’

Ristevski’s eyelid flutter is the most significant behaviour showing guilt or the withholding of information, Ms Zadeh said.

“For me, this is a dead giveaway. Due to the significance of the words spoken at the same time – nonverbal response are accurate indicators of emotion as they happen within the moment of stimulus.”

In the press conference, a reporter asks Karen’s aunt Patricia Gray if she knew anybody who would want to harm the Melbourne mother.

Borce Ristevski (right) showed less distress than his daughter Sarah. Source: AAP
Borce Ristevski (right) showed less distress than his daughter Sarah. Source: AAP

“There is absolutely nobody. And if that was the case, we would have already known something about that,” Ms Gray responds.

However Ms Zadeh said as the aunt was making the statement, Ristevski fluttered his eyelids which signalled a point of contention with the answer to the question.

“The eyelid flutter is a reliable, involuntary behaviour, a response to internal turmoil,” she said.

“Picture it being like an internal temper tantrum, an ‘oh my gosh’, at a point of contention.”

Body language experts say Borce Ristevski struggled to make eye contact during the press conference. Source: AAP
Body language experts say Borce Ristevski struggled to make eye contact during the press conference. Source: AAP

“It’s important to note that Patricia did not display any nonverbal cues of significance, indicating that she believes her own statement,” she said.

“Is Borce the only one who knows of someone who would harm Karen?”

‘He didn’t show devastation or distress’

Author of Body Language, Allan Pease, told Yahoo News Australia videos and photos from the media conference after Karen went missing reveal her husband likely had something to do with her death.

“Most people in most cases would give some kind of response. In contrast, he didn’t show devastation or distress for the fact his wife was missing,” Mr Pease said.

“When the reporter asked the question (did you kill your wife?), his face went red and he turned away without saying anything.

“This indicates he wasn’t expecting the question, was unwilling to give an answer, and was angry that he had to face the media. His eyes showed he was under stress when he was asked the question.”

Borce Ristevski carries the coffin of his wife Karen after her body was found in February 2017. Source: AAP
Borce Ristevski carries the coffin of his wife Karen after her body was found in February 2017. Source: AAP

Mr Pease said during the press conference Ristevski had a complete lack of eye contact.

“People in a distressed situation tend to hold eye contact longer and they blink less,” he said.

“He’s looking down, that’s the first thing that stands out.”

Mr Pease said it could be an indicator of stress, however, despite the distress of daughter Sarah, she is still looking at reporters.

“He’s not, and we look away when we don’t want people to look inside,” he said.

The role of body language in solving crimes

Body language has been used in the past to help convict people accused of a crime.

According to The Sun, serial killer Levi Bellfield “took just seven seconds” to reveal his guilt.

When asked if he killed Amelie Delagrange during a police interview, Bellfield exaggerated with his hands and shook his head – indicating deception.

According to the documentary, Faking it: Tears of a Crime, which focuses on Justin Barber who was convicted in 2006 for killing his wife, his crocodile tears for TV cameras helped police nail him for the crime.

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