WARNING: This story contains graphic content that some readers might find disturbing. Discretion is advised.
The jury in the triple-murder trial of Douglas Garland was given a disturbing perspective of what transpired inside of the Liknes home through the eyes of a blood analysis expert.
Calgary Police Sgt. Jodi Arns went to the southwest Calgary home July 1, 2014–two days after five-year-old Nathan and his grandparents, Alvin and Kathy Liknes, disappeared.
Garland, 57, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in their deaths.
READ MORE: Timeline – Missing Calgary family Nathan O’Brien, Alvin and Kathryn Liknes
Arns testified DNA of Nathan and his grandmother was found in the spare room of the home.
The officer described heavy blood saturation on the bed and said Kathy would have suffered a “blunt impact.” She couldn’t say definitively what caused it.
“A hand or a foot…there was significant impact to create the stains that were there.”
As for Nathan, Arns could only say there was a “bloodletting injury.”
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Court previously heard Nathan had been in the bed with his grandma for a sleepover that night.
Arns went through each of the bloodied rooms of the Liknes home, explaining different patterns of blood and what they meant from a forensic standpoint.
At the top of the stairs, a swipe in blood was a handprint, she said. DNA analysis came back as a match to both Nathan and Kathy.
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A long drag mark was found along the carpet through the hall of the upstairs area. Court heard that blood came back as a match to Alvin’s DNA.
Graphic pictures shown in court showed the master bedroom was covered in blood.
Arns said it also came back as a match to Alvin’s DNA.
She testified Alvin “may have been struck several times” and explained he would have suffered a minimum of one impact.
READ MORE: Douglas Garland triple-murder trial sees graphic pictures from aerial photographer
Down in the kitchen, there was less blood found in photos, but the officer said, “there were signs of a cleanup.” She said Kathy’s DNA was found in several areas tested.
Court has also heard the blood continued into the garage of the home, even onto the sidewalk.
On Tuesday, court heard DNA of all three victims was found throughout Garland’s Airdrie farm.
Garland’s DNA was not found at the Liknes home.
There were Tyvek suits found at the Garland property during the investigation. Arns said Wednesday she wore one such suit during the exam of the Liknes home to avoid any contamination of the scene.
Also Wednesday, court heard Garland was followed for several days by the Calgary Police Strike Force Unit starting July 11, 2014.
Officers testified specifically about the hours leading up to his arrest for murder on July 14, 2014.
Court heard he purchased a flashlight, gloves and a towel from Walmart, before driving to a nearby Airdrie park. They said Garland was seen journalling and talking to himself.
The strike force officers said he appeared suspicious he was being tailed.
Moments later, he looped around his parents’ farm a couple of times, then stopped his rental car and tried to sneak onto the property.
Court heard that’s when a marked police unit turned on their lights, spurring Garland to take off running through the field.
Const. Richard Massicotte said two officers chased him.
“The grass was well over the roof of the truck,” he said.
The officer who arrested Garland for three counts of murder will be among the final two witnesses to testify for the Crown Thursday.
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