Valdo Calocane: Brother Says Texts Point to Suicide, Not Killing
Valdo Calocane: Brother Says Texts Point to Suicide, Not Killing
The brother of Valdo Calocane tells a Nottingham Inquiry he believed messages about harming himself referred to suicide, not planned violence.
The Nottingham Inquiry heard from Elias Calocane, the brother of Valdo Calocane, who described his sibling as calm and peaceful and explained how he interpreted messages sent in 2020. Elias said the texts about alarming phrases like red rum were tied to Valdo’s mental health and a sense of being monitored rather than plans to harm others.
Elias recounted a January message in which Valdo wrote I love you, which he understood as a goodbye rather than an ordinary greeting. He said Valdo later sent messages describing immense anguish, paranoia, anger and hatred, and the idea that he wanted to hurt permanently. When asked, he said he believed the discussion was about Valdo and the monitoring situation.
Valdo Calocane, a former student, was later responsible for the killings in Nottingham in June 2023, stabbing two undergraduates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, before attempting to attack pedestrians with a van. Elias stressed that in the messages there was no other subject beyond Valdo and the sense of being watched.
The inquiry is examining the events leading up to those killings and whether there were missed signals or opportunities to intervene. Elias Calocane said he felt powerless at times due to the illness and the pressure of the situation, worrying about his brother and others.
These exchanges highlight the complex interplay of mental health, warning signs and public safety that the inquest is trying to untangle. The testimony is part of a broader effort to understand how warnings appeared in texts and what could be learned to prevent future tragedies.
