Bullets fired and reloading

[Kaldin]

This is a bit of a puzzle - do stop me if you think I'm mistaken.

I previously said that I thought the twins were shot first, but I'm rethinking that.

The magazine held 10 bullets. We know that Nevill was shot four times upstairs, but not fatally, and we know that June was shot seven times. However, IMO June was shot five times at first, and the other two bullets came later. I think that because two of the bullets would have been pretty fatal, and we know she managed to move around the bedroom for a while.

So that's nine bullets. What happened to the tenth one?

[Kaldin]

The "fight" in the kitchen presumably happened because the killer had run out of bullets, so they had to hit Nevill with the gun instead, until he collapsed. the killer then had the chance to reload the gun, and then shoot Nevill four more times. That left six bullets - not enough to go and shoot the twins eight times between them.

[guest2181]

This is a bit of a puzzle - do stop me if you think I'm mistaken.

I previously said that I thought the twins were shot first, but I'm rethinking that.

The magazine held 10 bullets. We know that Nevill was shot four times upstairs, but not fatally, and we know that June was shot seven times. However, IMO June was shot five times at first, and the other two bullets came later. I think that because two of the bullets would have been pretty fatal, and we know she managed to move around the bedroom for a while.

So that's nine bullets. What happened to the tenth one?

Is it possible the magazine wasn't fully filled? It can hold 10, but it can also hold less. 

[guest2181]

The "fight" in the kitchen presumably happened because the killer had run out of bullets, so they had to hit Nevill with the gun instead, until he collapsed. the killer then had the chance to reload the gun, and then shoot Nevill four more times. That left six bullets - not enough to go and shoot the twins eight times between them.

There must have been noise, would you not expect the twins to have been woken?

[Kaldin]

Is it possible the magazine wasn't fully filled? It can hold 10, but it can also hold less. 

Yes, that's true. Jeremy said he loaded the magazine before he left the house because he saw some rabbits, but he did say that would be between eight and ten rounds, so perhaps it was nine. He also said he removed the round in the breach.

[guest7363]

Is it possible the magazine wasn't fully filled? It can hold 10, but it can also hold less. 

How I understand it as well Hartley, also the fact it was harder to load the full magazine

[Kaldin]

There must have been noise, would you not expect the twins to have been woken?

Yes and no. It's possible that they were shot first, but then if the noise alerted Nevill, there wouldn't have been enough bullets to shoot him four times in the bedroom. I don't think he was shot in bed by the way - there was no blood on his side in the bed.

[guest2181]

The "fight" in the kitchen presumably happened because the killer had run out of bullets, so they had to hit Nevill with the gun instead, until he collapsed. the killer then had the chance to reload the gun, and then shoot Nevill four more times. That left six bullets - not enough to go and shoot the twins eight times between them.

The killer could have reloaded again after firing four shots.

[Kaldin]

Let's say then that there were nine bullets available, which would account for four shots to Nevill and five to June. That makes sense.

Alternatively, if the twins were shot first, there could have been eight bullets available, but then the killer had to go downstairs to reload before going back up and shooting Nevill and June.

[Steve_uk]

The "fight" in the kitchen presumably happened because the killer had run out of bullets, so they had to hit Nevill with the gun instead, until he collapsed. the killer then had the chance to reload the gun, and then shoot Nevill four more times. That left six bullets - not enough to go and shoot the twins eight times between them.

I agree with this, but Jeremy is reported by Julie to have said "Matthew" said Nevill put up a good fight for his age, though others here have said his injuries would have proved life-threatening at that stage. I think it's possible Jeremy shot one bullet each into the twins, maybe to check the weapon was working, then returned after he had finished the main threat off, pumping more bullets into the twins after the fight and shooting June right between the eyes as he vowed never to see her again.

[guest2181]

How I understand it as well Hartley, also the fact it was harder to load the full magazine

JB said he filled, between 8 and 10 bullets the previous evening. I don't think it's a given that it was filled to capacity each time.

[Kaldin]

The killer could have reloaded again after firing four shots.

Do you mean that they only put four more bullets in the magazine and then shot Nevill, and then reloaded again, or do you mean they put more than that in the magazine, shot Nevill, and then put another five or six in it?

[Adam]

The rifle holds up to 11.

Bamber may have fired 2 bullets into the twins.

Then 5 bullets into June.

Then 4 bullets into Nevill.

[guest2181]

Let's say then that there were nine bullets available, which would account for four shots to Nevill and five to June. That makes sense.

Alternatively, if the twins were shot first, there could have been eight bullets available, but then the killer had to go downstairs to reload before going back up and shooting Nevill and June.

Or he/she reloaded in the twins bedroom having carried additional ammunition on their person.

[Steve_uk]

Let's say then that there were nine bullets available, which would account for four shots to Nevill and five to June. That makes sense.

Alternatively, if the twins were shot first, there could have been eight bullets available, but then the killer had to go downstairs to reload before going back up and shooting Nevill and June.

You mean to finish them off. Remember it had to look like Nevill had attempted to make a call so he was either marched down at gunpoint or he fled and Jeremy had the option of returning the bedroom telephone to its natural place.