When Saskatoon police Const. William Trelnuk entered Blake Schreiner’s master bedroom, he said he found the man’s common-law partner dead underneath a white duvet with a six-inch knife sitting on top.
He was called to the home shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2019. He had been told there was a 911 call about a woman who had been stabbed and that the caller was responsible.
“The room was in disarray. Furniture was pushed in odd angles,” Trelnuk testified, describing the scene.
Tammy Brown’s body was on the floor where there was a pool of blood. The officer noted small, bloody footprints which he suspected were from a child.
The 39-year-old had two children with Schreiner. She was declared dead at the Kootenay Drive home in Saskatoon minutes after police made the discovery.
Schreiner pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder as his trial began at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday.
Police learned of the death that morning after Schreiner called 911 to report what he initially described as an “unresponsive person” following “an incident.”
Court heard audio of the call, in which the operator asked several times what happened.
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“Multiple stab wounds,” Schreiner eventually responded.
Asked who caused the stab wounds, Schreiner answered, “there was a break-in” before correcting himself.
“No, this was me. I’ll wait for the police to arrive. Thank you.”
Const. Jason Jacobson was the first officer to arrive at the house in Saskatoon’s north end.
He testified to opening the unlocked door and finding a man about six feet in front of him. Schreiner was lowering himself to the ground to be arrested, Jacobson told court.
With Schreiner on his stomach, Jacobson said he placed the suspect in handcuffs. As he controlled the man, the officer said a toddler crawled toward Schreiner’s head and arm before sitting beside him.
The officer said he heard a young boy crying in the nearby living room.
During an initial search, the constable found a brown leather knife sheath in the pocket of the black hoodie Schreiner was wearing.
“Mr. Schreiner was quiet and cooperative,” and answered all of the officer’s questions “matter of factly,” Jacobson testified.
There was no yelling or screaming from the suspect, court heard. The only words Schreiner uttered were ones in an apparent attempt to calm his children down, the officer stated.
In-car video showed emergency personnel entering the Kootenay Drive house as Schreiner was led out of it. During the drive to the police station, the accused was quiet, and his gaze was often directed downward.
“He appeared to be completely sober to me. He showed no signs of impairment,” Jacobson said.
At the detention unit, the officer confirmed what he’d previously thought he saw. The pant leg of Schreiner’s jeans was covered by a lot of blood, and one sock was so “soaked” that it “left blood prints on the beige floor.”
The man also had a homemade bandage on his left hand, which required stitches for three deep cuts.
The only point at which Schreiner exhibited outward emotion was later in the day when he was taken to City Hospital, Jacobson said. As his hand underwent freezing and he received stitches, Schreiner began to sob.
Sgt. Anthony Boensch told court he met with Schreiner in a holding cell to discuss the man’s options for obtaining a lawyer.
“At no point was I concerned about Mr. Schreiner’s mental health state,” Boensch said.
Schreiner had a prescription for anxiety medication that he received two days before his arrest, Boensch testified.
During cross-examination, defence lawyer Brad Mitchell asked officers if they agreed that Schreiner’s demeanour was “flat” and lacked emotion. Multiple witnesses agreed.
Before trial, Schreiner underwent a not criminally responsible assessment to analyze his state of mind at the time of the killing. The court is expected to receive reports on Schreiner from a psychiatrist and psychologist.
Lawyers elected to go directly to trial and skip the preliminary hearing phase.
The judge-alone trial heard by Justice Ronald Mills is scheduled to continue Tuesday.
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