The second-degree murder trial for a Surrey man accused of killing a woman in the Okanagan continued on Tuesday.
In Kelowna court, it was the trial’s third day for Tejwant Danjou. He is accused of killing 56-year-old Rama Gauravarapu in a West Kelowna hotel room on July 22, 2018.
RCMP officers were called to the stand as Crown witnesses, as they were some of the first to arrive at the scene of the crime.
Sgt. Abels was the first to take the stand.
At the time of the crime, Abels was the watch commander and corporal.
Abels testified that a hotel employee was the first to see Danjou during the crime. The employee knocked on the hotel room door after the hotel received a noise complaint.
When a bloody man answered the door, the employee saw a woman lying on the floor behind the man.
In Abels’ testimony, he said the employee heard the woman calling for help and asking for 911 to be called.
The bloody man standing at the door then told the employee “everything was fine” and closed the door.
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The hotel employee then called the RCMP and three officers arrived shortly.
Court heard that Abels was among the first officers to enter the hotel room, where the victim was found.
Guarvarapu was still alive when the officers entered the hotel room, but was unresponsive.
“She appeared to have been badly injured,” said Abels. “She was badly beaten.”
Abels testified that the hotel room had blood splatter on the bed, walls, fridge, door, microwave, cupboards and countertops. A broken wine bottle was also nearby.
A blood trail was also found from the hotel room door to the fire escape and down the hall.
Court then heard how police identified the suspect as Danjou.
When police were trying to identify the victim, they found a photograph of her and Danjou.
Police then showed the employee the photograph and asked if the man in the photo was the same bloodied man who answered the door.
She confirmed that the man in the photo was the same man she saw in the hotel room.
Danjou was found nearby, hiding in a dumpster, by the K-9 unit.
An audio recording was played in court, captured during Danjou’s arrest and his ride in the ambulance to the hospital.
“Any booze or drugs today?” the paramedic asked Danjou.
“A lot of booze,” replied Danjou.
The trial continues as the Crown has many more witnesses expected to take the stand in the days to come.
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