The second week of testimony at the Derek Saretzky murder trial got underway in Lethbridge, Alta. on Monday.
Saretzky is accused of three counts of first-degree murder in the September 2015 Crowsnest Pass deaths of Terry Blanchette, his two-year-old daughter Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and 69-year-old Hanne Meketech.
In Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday, Terry Blanchette’s father Bill Blanchette took the stand, he’s the one who found his son’s body and alerted police that his granddaughter was missing.
He told the court that his son Terry loved his daughter very much and treasured the time he spent with her.
On Sept. 13, Bill Blanchette babysat his granddaughter while his son went to work. He said Terry returned from work that evening as he did every night. The next morning, Bill Blanchette decided to make an impromptu visit to Terry’s home which is when he found his son’s body.
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He told the court he found Terry in the bathroom with his neck cut and was unable to find Hailey after a search of the house. He said he then called 911.
One of Terry’s neighbours, Darren Rypien, also took the stand Monday. Rypien said he woke up in the early morning hours of Sept. 14 when he heard something in the alley. When he looked outside he saw a white commercial van sitting in the alley.
He testified to hearing a child’s voice in or near the van and told the court he thought he heard a woman’s voice trying to console the child, but he wasn’t sure. He then watched the vehicle speed away.
The Crown has said it plans to call just over 30 witnesses in Saretzky’s trial.
Derek Saretzky’s father is expected to take the stand on Tuesday.