A blood spatter expert took the stand Thursday at William Sandeson‘s murder trial.
Sandeson, 24, is charged with the first-degree murder of 22-year-old Taylor Samson. His body has never been found.
Samson was last seen alive on video, walking into Sandeson’s Halifax apartment shortly before 10:30 p.m., on Aug. 15, 2015.
Sgt. Adrian Butler, a 24-year veteran of the RCMP, was qualified as an expert witness in the trial Thursday, meaning he was able to give opinion evidence to the court.
READ MORE: Taylor Samson’s DNA found on items seized from Sandeson’s apartment, murder trial hears
Butler told the seven-man, seven-woman jury that he examined photographs of a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun that police seized from a safe inside Sandeson’s bedroom.
The gun was previously entered as evidence in the trial by Sgt. Sandra Johnston, a forensic identification officer with the Halifax Regional Police.
Butler said based on the photos he was given, he observed 44 spatter stains on the left side of the slide of the gun, all of which were very small.
In addition, he testified that there was a minimum of four blood stains on the muzzle of the gun and a minimum of seven blood stains on right slide of the gun.
READ MORE: Tarp, duffel bag had Taylor Samson’s blood, jury in Sandeson murder trial told
Butler said he was able to determine it was back spatter on the gun and that the gun was two to four feet from the surface of the blood.
Under cross-examination, lawyer Eugene Tan asked Butler if blood stain patterns could be impacted by handling the gun, something Butler said was possible.
The court also heard testimony from Andre LeBlanc, a friend of Justin Blades.
Blades previously told the court that he was visiting his friend, Pookiel McCabe, when he heard a loud bang from inside 1210 Henry St. on the night of Aug. 15, 2015.
WATCH: Jury hears William Sandeson told roommate not to come home on night of alleged murder
He testified that he looked inside Sandeson’s apartment twice and saw a man slumped over at the kitchen table bleeding while Sandeson ran around with bloody money in his hands.
LeBlanc said he went to the apartment building that night to visit Blades and purchase a gram of marijuana.
When he arrived at the building, he parked his truck outside and noticed Sandeson standing by the stairs.
He said the pair have never formally met but said hello to each other before Sandeson escorted LeBlanc and his friend up to McCabe’s apartment.
LeBlanc says he remembers walking down the hallway that night and thought it was strange that there was a video surveillance system set up.
Sandeson’s brother takes the stand
William Sandeson’s younger brother Adam also took the stand Thursday.
Adam testified that he was living at an apartment on Chestnut Street in Halifax in August 2015. He said that on the morning of Aug. 17, he had multiple text messages from his brother when he woke up informing him that he was going to be stopping by his apartment with some laundry, something Adam said was not out of the ordinary.
Adam told the jury that he didn’t see his brother that day but when he spoke to him, William told him that the basement may smell funny.
Adam said he located a backpack that was filled with marijuana. When Adam questioned his brother about the drugs he said William told him that they weren’t his.
Adam testified that once he found out that William had been charged with murder he and his roommates had a conversation about what to do with the drugs. The court previously heard testimony from one of Adam Sandeson’s roommates who said that they contacted a lawyer before turning the drugs over to the Halifax Regional Police.
Testimony in the case resumes on Monday.
View some of the photos and items that have recently been entered as evidence in the trial.
Comments