Police analyse computer of gambling son found dead with mother

Published on Thursday 23 July 2009 11:10

FORENSIC technology experts are set to examine the computer belonging to the online gambling addict who is thought to have killed his elderly mother before hanging himself.

Sources say the computer specialists will be tasked with piecing together the online history of Brian Rockall, who was understood to have built up a five-figure debt during internet gambling sessions.

The checks would also try to establish whether the 43-year-old sent messages offering clues to why he took his own life after killing his 81-year-old mother, Valerie Rockall.

The pair were found dead at the flat they shared in Dean Path after their concerned landlord alerted police and officers broke down the front door on Monday night.

Post-mortems on both Mr Rockall and his mother were planned for yesterday in a bid to establish when they died.

Police have not officially revealed the cause of death but some reports have now cast doubt on initial claims that Mrs Rockall was repeatedly stabbed, instead claiming she was beaten to death. It has also been reported that she was both beaten and stabbed.

The tests may be able to determine whether any significant period of time passed between Mrs Rockall being killed and her son hanging himself in the home.

It is thought they may have been dead for up to two weeks.

Detectives are currently working on a report to be sent to the procurator fiscal. Forensic experts carried out a detailed examination of the Dean Village flat and their tests are expected to take several days to complete.

A police dossier is unlikely to be handed over to prosecutors until the forensic work is finished.

The procurator fiscal will then decide whether to declare the case closed, ask police to re-investigate, or launch a fatal accident inquiry if the deaths were thought to be part of a suspected suicide pact. The bodies will not be released to any family until the procurator fiscal has made a determination in the case.

It is understood the police are having difficulties tracing their next of kin and have not yet officially released the names of the two deceased.

Reports have suggested the mother and son had lived at a number of addresses in the Capital after moving from England.

A police source said: "It would be standard procedure in any murder inquiry for computers or laptops found at a crime scene to be removed for analysis.

"In this case, if Mr Rockall has been gambling online and that is considered a potential motive for his actions, then forensic computer experts would scrutinise his online behaviour.

"That could include e-mails he sent and sites he visited.

"His credit history with regards to cards he may have used online would also be checked out."