"She'd seen my face" or "She saw my face"?

[the batman learner]

Police: Why did you kill her?

1.Killer: Because she'd seen my face and I didn't want to leave any witnesses.

2.Killer: Because she saw my face and I didn't want to leave any witnesses.

In this situation what's more appropriate to use?

 

[Tarheel]

Use whichever feels right to you.

 

[the batman learner]

I'd gotten over this all past perfect and past simple thing but yesterday I was watching a movie where something like this happened and I wondered what is more correct way to say this. Do they both deliver the same meaning in this context?

 

[Tarheel]

They mean the same thing. The bad guy thought she would be able to recognize him. So he killed her to eliminate a potential witness.

 

[Barque]

I personally prefer "had seen" here but "saw" is possible too.

 

[5jj]

Police: Why did you kill her?

1.Killer: Because she'd seen my face and I didn't want to leave any witnesses.

That's a textbook case for the past perfect - one past-time situation occurring before a later one. However, when the order of the events is clear, many native speakers use the past simple.

 

[5jj]

There's no need to submit a separate 'thank you' post. Just click on the Like or Thanks button - as you did.

 

[Tdol]

That's a textbook case for the past perfect - one past-time situation occurring before a later one. However, when the order of the events is clear, many native speakers use the past simple.

It seems more emphatic with the past perfect- a greater justification for the act.