Jury hears more testimony in Eduardo Balaquit disappearance trial

Following a five-day delay due to COVID-19 cases within the jury, the trial in the disappearance and homicide of 59-year-old Eduardo Balaquit continued in Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench Tuesday.

Among the witnesses, the 13-member jury heard testimony from Mike Smiegielski, the vice president and general manager for Westcon Equipment’s Manitoba division.

Smiegielski told the jury that Balaquit - whom he referred to as Eddie - had been working as the cleaner in the Westcon building for years without issue.

“He kept his job for 22 years, so he did a pretty decent job, and probably would still be there today if something didn’t happen,” Smiegielski testified.

Court heard previously, Balaquit vanished on the evening of June 4, 2018, after he went to his cleaning job at Westcon. In the nearly four years since Balaquit’s disappearance, his body has never been found.

Smiegielski testified records show Balaquit had disarmed the building’s alarm system on the evening of June 4, but the system had not been rearmed.

He said when he arrived the following morning, he discovered dust on the floor and dirt throughout the building.

“Once I (saw) the dust there, I thought that was a little weird... It was never brought to my attention before that Eddie wouldn’t finish a job,” Smiegielski said.

He testified he tried calling Balaquit’s cellphone multiple times, but there was no answer.

Smiegielski testified the accused - 36-year-old Kyle Alexander Pietz - had been employed in Westcon’s parts department from August 2014 until May 2018 when he resigned.

The Crown has alleged Pietz caused Balaquit’s death during a robbery driven by financial desperation. Pietz has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and is presumed innocent.

COMING BLIZZARD POSTPONES TRIAL

The coming blizzard set to hit southern Manitoba Tuesday evening will further delay the trial.

On Tuesday, Justice Sadie Bond told members of the jury the trial will be postponed for the remainder of the week due to the impending storm.

“That is in the interest obviously of everybody’s safety,” Bond told jurors on Tuesday, adding she did not think it was reasonable to call in the jury members given the forecasted storm.

Environment Canada has warned a major spring storm is set to hit Manitoba overnight Tuesday and is expected to last until Friday. The weather service has warned the storm has the potential to be the worst in decades.

The trial already faced a five-day delay last week after four jurors tested positive for COVID-19. The trial is set to continue next Tuesday.

-with files from CTV’s Josh Crabb