Nearly three and a half years after Tina Fontaine was killed, the trial of her alleged killed is now underway.
A jury of eight women and four men will decide the fate of Raymond Cormier, who is charged with second degree murder.
Fontaine’s body was found in the Red River roughly a week after she disappeared in August 2014.
The duvet cover in which her body was found wrapped in is at the centre of the Crown’s case.
The Crown told the jury in its opening statement that Cormier owned a unique duvet cover, one that was sold only at Costco.
According to crown attorneys just 100 had been purchased in Winnipeg at the time of Fontaine’s death.
The Crown alleges his friends confirmed Cormier owned the same kind of duvet cover, which was weighed down with stones when Fontaine’s body was found.
Cormier is pleading not guilty, and has maintained his innocence since being arrested.
The jury received instructions from Justice Glenn Joyal as the trial began Monday morning.
He told jurors to keep an open mind and refrain from making premature judgements in the case and to ultimately make a decision without sympathy, prejudice or fear.
Cormier is charged with second degree murder in the death of 15-year-old Fontaine, whose body was found in the Red River a week after she went missing in August 2014.
He has maintained his innocence since being arrested.
The trial is expected to last five weeks.