WARNING: This story contains graphic details that may disturb readers. Discretion is advised.
A B.C. jury saw disturbing crime scene photographs Wednesday, as lawyers for the man accused of murdering a teenaged girl raised questions about a homeless man seen in the area.
Ibrahim Ali has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the July, 2017 killing. The victim’s identity is protected by a publication ban.
Coquitlam RCMP Const. Ian Robertson took the stand Wednesday, where defence counsel Kevin McCullough pressed him about the identity of a homeless man who spoke with police in Burnaby’s Central Park, near where the teen’s body was found.
Amid queries about who the man was and how he was in the scene perimeter, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lance Bernard told McCullough to stand down on the line of questioning.
The court also heard from RCMP Sgt. Michael Urmson, who told the jury the victim was found with her shirt pulled up and her breast exposed, and her shorts and underwear tangled to one side.
Urmson told the jury he believed the girl had been sexually assaulted and murdered.
During cross examination, McCullough pressed him on how he knew the girl was murdered, given no obvious cause of death was observed. Defence also questioned Urmson if he had noticed a number of condom wrappers littered around the scene.
That line of questioning also drew an order to stand down from Justice Bernard.
Crown prosecutor Isobel Keeley led the jury through a disturbing series of photographs from the scene, including pictures of the teen’s half-naked body where it was found in a wooded area of the park.
Jurors also heard from forensic identification specialist Cpl. Dominic Toa, who testified there were injuries on the girl’s knees and ring fingers. He told the court that a forensic light source detected no fluids, which would have glowed if saliva or semen were present.
Crown’s theory is that Ali grabbed the victim in the park, then strangled her to death in the course of sexually assaulting her.
Prosecutors have said they will present evidence showing Ali’s DNA was found inside the girl, and that the pair were strangers to one another.
The trial is expected to last until the end of June.