A toxicologist testified at the murder trial of Raymond Cormier Tuesday afternoon that both alcohol and cannabis were detected in Tina Fontaine's body.

Cormier, 55, has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder in Fontaine's death.

Fontaine's body was discovered wrapped in a duvet in the Red River near the Alexander Docks by a passerby nearly four years ago.

Toxicologist Christopher Keddy from the RCMP’s national laboratory in Ottawa told the jury of 8 women and 4 men that testing on samples of chest cavity fluid showed an alcohol level higher than the legal driving limit but that the sample wasn't obtained in an ideal way.

Keddy testified, while the result is accurate, the reading may be higher because it was taken after death and it didn't come from a sample that was entirely blood.

"Correspondingly the concentration may be higher in the cavity fluid," Keddy testified. "The greatest likelihood is that this may have been an overestimation at the time of death."

Toxicology tests also detected cannabis in Fontaine's body but the trial heard the combination of cannabis and alcohol wasn’t lethal.

Keddy testified low levels of cocaine may have been present but the level didn't meet reporting requirements.

The jury also heard testimony will be forthcoming in the trial that Fontaine told a nurse at Health Sciences Centre on Aug. 8, 2014 that she had taken a drug called Gabapentin.

Keddy told jurors Gabapentin was not detected in its toxicology tests but that the testing "is not so great at revealing the presence of Gabapentin."

He explained if Fontaine had taken Gabapentin it likely wasn't detected.

Keddy testified Gabapentin is a relatively safe drug.

Under cross-examination by Cormier's lawyers Keddy told the trial that he could not rule out the possibility that a combination of alcohol and Gabapentin could cause an individual’s death.

Jurors also heard from the captain of the MS River Rouge who testified the ship was parked at the Alexander Docks one or two days prior to the discovery of Fontaine's body on Aug.17, 2014.

Alexander Cunningham testified the ship has caused bodies in the river to surface in the past due the suction in the water caused by the River Rouge's props.

"I've seen a lot of bodies in the past and I'm sure the River Rouge is responsible for bringing a few of them up," Cunningham testified.

Crown attorney James Ross told jurors in his opening statement on Monday they will hear evidence that Fontaine's body was dumped in the river at the Alexander Docks weighed down with 25 pounds of rock.

The jury heard the Crown will also introduce evidence that Cormier and Fontaine were friends who had “a falling out” and that Cormier had a sexual interest in Fontaine until he found out she was 15.

The trial continues Wednesday morning.