EDMONTON – A witness in a murder trial has testified that he saw Travis Vader driving an SUV similar to one belonging to two missing Alberta seniors.
In court Monday, Myles Ingersoll said he stopped to visit a friend in Peers, a small community west of Edmonton, in early July 2010.
He says Vader — a fellow meth user — was there too and talked about having “heat” on him.
Ingersoll said Vader drove off in a green SUV like the one he later saw in a newspaper story about a missing couple.
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Ingersoll testified he was a “seasoned” drug user and used meth with Vader numerous times.
Vader’s lawyer questioned Ingersoll about his memory from excessive drug use.
“Are you stoned this morning sir?”
“No I’m not,” said Ingersoll, who told the court he last did drugs two weeks ago.
Lyle and Marie McCann were last seen driving their motorhome and pulling behind it their SUV as they set out on a camping trip on July 3 of that year.
The vehicles were found but not their bodies.
Vader has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
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During Monday’s court proceedings, Vader’s lawyer Brian Beresh played a phone call Ingersoll made to a friend. That call was taped after Ingersoll met with RCMP for an interview. Ingersoll wasn’t aware his conversation was being monitored by RCMP.
During the call, Ingersoll told his friend he didn’t remember if the vehicle Vader was driving was a similar colour to the McCanns.
Ingersoll testified he lied to his friend because he didn’t want to be involved with the missing persons case.
“I didn’t want to have no ties with it.”
Beresh suggested Ingersoll saw a different vehicle that day and showed him a picture of a small truck.
Ingersoll insisted he has never seen that truck before.
Vader’s lawyer suggested Ingersoll was trying to protect his friend and get Vader into trouble.
He suggested that friend wanted to cash in on the McCann reward for information.
Ingersoll fired back, saying: “Everybody’s got a different level of intelligence.” Looking at Beresh he said: “Yours is probably higher than mine. The judge’s is probably higher than yours.”
With files from The Canadian Press
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