A DNA profile matching Catherine Campbell was found inside 5714 McCully Street – the apartment the Crown alleges she was killed at – before her body was removed using a green bin and dumped under the Macdonald Bridge.
Christopher Garnier, 30, is accused of killing off-duty Truro police officer Catherine Campbell, 36, in September 2015 and improperly interfering with her body.
He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The Crown alleged in their opening statement that Garnier struck Campbell in the head before strangling her at his friend’s apartment and using a green bin to dispose of her body.
WATCH: Surveillance video from inside the Halifax Alehouse on the night the Crown alleges off-duty Truro police officer Catherine Campbell was killed
Blood found on stereo, television, floor of Halifax apartment
Dr. Greg Litzenberger, a DNA forensic expert with the RCMP in Edmonton, was qualified as an expert and able to give opinion evidence in the case.
Litzenberger testified a sample of blood on a t-shirt that police found in a garbage bin across the street from the McCully Street apartment matched a known sample to Campbell.
Litzenberger said his lab tested a pair of underwear belonging to Campbell and found no blood, hair or semen. Vaginal swabs also showed no sign of semen.
Litzenberger said Campbell’s DNA was found on a sample of blood taken off a tv in the McCully Street apartment as well as a stereo where it’s alleged she was killed.
Campbell’s DNA was also found on the floor of the same apartment.
- B.C. Sikh leader ‘vindicated’ by arrest of Indian nationals in Nijjar killing
- London Drugs remains closed, says it is reviewing billions of lines of data
- How toy guns brandished by Ontario youth in ‘assassins game’ is prompting real fear
- Trump trial hears recording discussing hush money scheme: ‘What do we got to pay?’
READ MORE: Garnier Trial: Jury shown pictures of body discovered under Macdonald Bridge
Garnier’s DNA found on Campbell’s fingernail clippings
A neck chain that police found on the roof of the old Fred building was also sent to the lab for testing. Litzenberger said the chain contained DNA from both Campbell and Garnier.
Litzenberger also testified that a sample from Garnier’s watch contained DNA belonging to Campbell. Litzenberger says several samples of fingernail clippings taken from Campbell contained both her DNA and a DNA profile that was matched to Garnier.
Litzenberger said four samples from a green bin police found in connection with the case were also tested at the lab, however no blood was found.
WATCH: Christopher Garnier murder trial sees video of man pushing green bin
Blood Spatter Analyst takes the stand
Sgt. Adrian Butler, a Blood Stain Pattern Analyst with the RCMP, told the court he went to 5714 McCully Street in September 2015.
Once there, Butler said he took photos of the scene and examined possible blood stains.
Butler said one blood stain which was found on the back of the television in the den was considered a transfer stain and consistent with Catherine Campbell coming into contact with it.
Butler testified there were 26 spatter stains located on the floor of the apartment, each one was 10 mm or less in size. He said three spatter stains were also found under a tool box in the apartment, which indicated it may have been moved.
Blood spatter stains were also found on the stereo cabinets and speakers and Butler said it matched Campbell’s DNA.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Joel Pink, Butler agreed that blood spatter is not an ultimate science or 100% certain. He also said agreed with Pink that there was no evidence of a cleanup in the apartment.
READ: Christopher Garnier’s defence lawyer floats idea of erotic asphyxiation in Catherine Campbell death
Computer expert analyzed Garnier’s computer
The court also heard testimony on Tuesday from Blair MacLellan, a former member of the RMCP, who was qualified as an expert and able to give opinion evidence on digital forensic services.
MacLellan says he was asked to analyze a computer for any references to Catherine Campbell, none were found.
MacLellan said he did find a number of searches on Sept. 15, 2015 that were related to the antidepressant Cipralex – including searches for Cipralex and alcohol, Cipralex and violence and Cipralex and memory loss.
READ: Garnier Trial: Jury shown pictures of body discovered under Macdonald Bridge
Interrogation video played for court
Late Tuesday afternoon, the jury also continued watching a lengthy interrogation video that was taken of Garnier following his arrest.
In the video, Cpl. Jody Allison can be heard asking Garnier to tell him what happened to Campbell.
“You’re not that monster, Chris. You’re not that monster, buddy. Things for out of control. Things got out of control,” Allison told Garnier.
For hours, Allison repeatedly told Garnier that he was a good guy and wanted to know why Campbell was killed.
“There’s no doubt she was killed in the apartment, Chris,” Allison said to Garnier in the video.”I saw blood at the scene, right in front of the pullout couch. That’s where she died, wasn’t it?.”
About 3.5 hours of the 9.5 hour video has now been shown to the jury, in much of it, Garnier can be heard sobbing.
The case is scheduled to resume Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., when it’s anticipated the jury will resume watching the interrogation video.
Comments