A trial began in Calgary Monday for a well-known white supremacist accused of beating a stranger to death in a random attack three years ago.
Robert Reitmeier is accused of second-degree murder in the death of 47-year-old Mark Mariani, whose body was found in the parking lot of a northwest strip mall in October, 2010.
Another man, Tyler Sturrup, pleaded guilty in March and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for ten years.
In opening statements Monday, the Crown told the jury Mariani suffered from a medical condition that required him to have an ostomy bag and he sometimes had to empty the bag in public.
The day he was killed, he was in a video store in a strip mall and then went into an alley to empty the bag.
The Crown said that’s where he encountered two men painting graffiti, one of them the accused, Robert Reitmeier.
The Crown told the jury it will present evidence that Mariani was kicked to death.
“It turns my stomach that we have to sit there and look at him, knowing what he’s done,” said Kathrin Weltzin, Mark Mariani’s sister. “He’s accused, not convicted, but really it’s horrible to think there’s people like that in the world
The victim’s family plans to be in court every day during the trial, which is expected to last three weeks.
-With files from Nancy Hixt
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