Within minutes of day 12 of the Derek Saretzky triple-murder trial, it quickly wrapped up for the day. Defence will not be presenting any evidence.
Saretzky, 24, is charged with first-degree murder in the September 2015 deaths of Hailey and her father Terry Blanchette, 27, in the southern Alberta community of Blairmore. He is also accused of killing 69-year-old Hanne Meketech, who was found dead five days earlier in her mobile home in nearby Coleman, Alta.
On Friday, prosecutor Photini Papadatou closed the Crown’s case, then defence for Saretzky, Patrick Edgerton, told the jury he will not be calling any evidence.
Watch below: Global’s past coverage of the case
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Derek Saretzky triple-murder trial: Hailey’s mom describes relationships with Blanchette, Saretkzy -
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RCMP forensic investigators testify at Derek Saretzky triple-murder trial -
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Aunt testifies Derek Saretzky told her he’d done ‘something really bad’ -
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Derek Saretzky trial court hears accused murderer re-enacted childs killing for police -
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Derek Saretzky trial: court hears accused murderer re-enacted child’s killing for police -
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First of 3 Derek Saretzky video confessions played at triple-murder trial -
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Derek Saretzky’s father testifies at triple-murder trial -
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Father of Terry Blanchette takes the stand in the Derek Saretzky murder trial
The trial will resume Monday with closing arguments from the prosecution.
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Once closing arguments are finished next week, Queen’s Bench Justice William Tilleman will give his final instructions to the jury. Then deliberations can begin.
Jurors were given the day off Thursday, after the Crown called its final witnesses Wednesday afternoon.
Among the last to testify was the mother of two-year old Hailey Dunbar Blanchette.
The remains of Cheyenne Dunbar’s little girl were found at a rural campsite in Alberta’s Crowsnest Pass–owned by the Saretzky family and known to them as “the ranch.”
Dunbar testified she met Saretzky when Hailey was three months old. She described him as a friend and said they never dated–but hung out several times a week with the baby present.
In a videotaped interview with police on Sept. 15, 2015 and previously played for the jury, the accused said he dated Dunbar and helped take care of Hailey.
Jurors have had to take sudden and frequent breaks to cope with an overwhelming amount of graphic and disturbing evidence.
The jury is currently made up of seven women and seven men.
At the end of the trial, before deliberations, two jurors will be dismissed. The final 12 will decide the fate of the accused.
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