WARNING: some of the testimony in Friday’s portion of the trial contained graphic details which some readers may find disturbing.
The Crown has closed its case in the second degree murder trial of Brett Overby, whose defence team indicated it plans to call evidence in the trial starting on Monday morning.
The jury heard testimony Friday about the discovery of Christine Wood’s remains and cellphone in the R.M. of Springfield about 30 minutes from Winnipeg.
Overby, 32, has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder in connection with Wood’s death.
Lindsay Scott, a civilian member of the RCMP’s forensic identification unit, told the jury she was in charge of locating evidence in the area where Wood’s body was discovered in a shallow grave by grain farmer Richard Vaags on Jun. 1, 2017.
Vaags testified he was checking his crops with his son Joel and notified the RCMP after discovering bones in a hole about a foot and a half deep by three feet wide near one of his fields.
“I said to Joel, ‘this looks very suspicious,’” Vaags told the jury. “You could tell that an animal had dug this hole up.”
“I said, ‘I think we have to call the RCMP.’”
Scott testified Wood’s remains were wrapped in plastic with red duct tape.
Jurors heard her remains were carefully excavated and removed from the scene.
Scott testified that on the second day at the scene, she made another discovery.
“I located a cellphone battery,” Scott told court.
Scott testified a cellphone was also found on the other side of the road from the area where Wood’s remains were found.
Jurors were told it’s an agreed fact in the trial the cellphone and cellphone battery belonged to Wood.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Dennis Rhee, who conducted the autopsy, testified the immediate cause of Wood’s death was extensive blunt and sharp-force trauma.
Const. Darren Murphy testified he was a member of the Winnipeg Police Service’s forensic identification unit when Wood’s body was recovered.
Murphy told court he became involved in the homicide investigation.
The jury heard Murphy found plastic sheeting inside Overby’s Burrows Avenue home and in his yard covering a pile of wood which Murphy determined matched the plastic found on Wood’s remains.
Jurors heard it’s an agreed fact that Winnipeg police traced the origin of the plastic to a manufacturer in St. Leonard, Que.
The jury heard the plastic sheeting contained markings which indicated it was made specifically for a lumber supplier located in Winnipeg. It was shipped on Aug. 25, 2015.
