Dustin Big Bull took to the stand for the third straight day Wednesday, with crown prosecutor Lisa Weich continuing cross-examination by questioning the accused’s assertion Tregan Crow Eagle had a knife when Big Bull stabbed him.
Crow Eagle’s body was found wrapped in a tarp in some brush near Brocket, Alta., on Jul. 27, 2020, four days after he had been reported missing.
The medical examiner determined the 16-year-old died from multiple sharp force injuries.
Big Bull is charged with second-degree murder and causing an indignity to human remains.
In his initial testimony Monday, Big Bull said he had been drinking alcohol at a gathering in Brocket that Crow Eagle was also attending.
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Big Bull testified the pair left the party along with Big Bull’s girlfriend, and Crow Eagle followed them home.
The accused said he confronted Crow Eagle about damage to Big Bull’s house and punched the teen in the head until he was unconscious.
Big Bull told the court he left with his girlfriend after the beating, where he said they smoked crack cocaine and drank more alcohol before coming home.
There, Big Bull said Crow Eagle was outside and began walking towards him with a knife, so Big Bull pulled out his own knife and stabbed the youth in the neck and torso.
Under further cross-examination, Weich said Big Bull didn’t tell his girlfriend that Crow Eagle had a knife during the incident.
Weich suggested that was because Crow Eagle did not have one, which Big Bull denied.
After several follow-ups where Weich suggested the knife story was made up, Big Bull said “that wasn’t how it happened.”
Big Bull said he drew a map to where he put Crow Eagle’s knife in a lake, which wasn’t specified by name.
At one point, the accused turned slightly towards supporters of Crow Eagle sitting in the gallery and apologized.
“I’m sorry this happened. I’m sorry you have to go through this,” Big Bull said.
Both the crown and defense are expected to make their final arguments Thursday afternoon.
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